You Make Me
by Lyssar
Summary: Kurt invites Blaine over for dinner with the Hudmels. Beyond that, there's not much to say that doesn't give away the entire story, so come on in, my friends. Lots of fluff, a dash of angst, and I even throw in some smut in later chapters!
1. Chapter 1

**So the idea for this jumped into my mind one day as I listened to the Warblers sing Teenage Dream. My intent was to write a fluffy little one-shot. This work of fiction has now exploded to nearly twenty thousand words, and I haven't quite hit the end yet. Here's a taste of what I've written, and I'll post more if y'all are interested :)**

**The usual disclaimers apply: Any recognizable characters within this work (currently Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson) do not belong to me. I'm just borrowing them.**

Kurt hummed softly as he slid the casserole into the oven, then gently closed the door. He reached forward to set the timer. As he turned to put the oven mitts away, he nearly collided with another body.

"Blaine!" He jumped, startled. "You're early…."

"I let myself in…I hope that's alright…" Blaine glanced away, shifting his stance a little.

Kurt smiled and rolled his eyes. "Of course it is. You know you're always welcome here."

They'd been dating for four months, but Blaine still hadn't grown accustomed to the welcoming atmosphere of the Hudmel household. He'd been raised to announce his presence when arriving at someone's home—even his own—and being asked—no, _ordered_—to "just open the door and come on in" (Carole's words) was incredibly foreign to him.

But he liked it. He liked it more than he would ever admit.

"Blaine?"

Blaine blinked, shaken from his thoughts. "Yes?"

"I asked you how long you'd been standing there," Kurt said, a small smile on his lips and a twinkle in his eyes.

Blaine glanced around the room before looking back at Kurt. "Oh…not long." _That's not a complete lie. I stood next to him for just a few moments. He doesn't need to know I stood in the doorway, watching him cook and sing for nearly 30 minutes. He'd _kill_ me._

Kurt raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"What were you singing?" Blaine asked, hoping to distract Kurt from questioning him further.

Kurt's cheeks flushed. He mumbled something Blaine didn't quite catch.

"Say again?"

Kurt's eyes were trained on the floor and he shifted uncomfortably.

"Teenage Dream," he said quietly.

Blaine smirked.

"Oh, really? Isn't that a little too...'Top 40' for your taste?"

Kurt glared at him, trying to muster up the fury to do so properly.

The moment was ruined as Blaine started laughing at him. Kurt couldn't help but join in.

Once their breathing had slowed to a more normal pace, Blaine repeated his question.

"So...why that song?" He asked. He stared steadily into Kurt's eyes.

Kurt looked away, shifting his feet and wrapping his arms around himself.

Blaine shook his head. "Come on, is the reason really that bad?" He placed a finger under Kurt's chin, forcing him to look up. "Just tell me, alright? I promise I won't make fun of you."

Kurt's stance relaxed a little, but his arms remained wrapped around his body. He raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Really? I have a hard time believing you."

Of all the promises Blaine would make-and they are numerous-this is the one he always had a hard time keeping. Kurt was just _so much fun_ to tease. Blaine loved to see the flush climb his cheeks and his lips form into a pout. And he would turn his head away, hoping Blaine wouldn't be able to see the laughter in his eyes.

Blaine held out his hand. "Pinky swear!" He said, eyes twinkling merrily.

Kurt's arms dropped to his sides, and he felt his jaw drop open. "Pinky swear? Really? Are we five years old?"

"Pinky swears aren't just for little kids, you know," Blaine said seriously, as if Kurt had missed something very important.

"Really?" Kurt said, eyes wide and tone skeptical.

"Really. It's a promise between best friends. And best friends don't break promises."

Blaine still had his hand raised, the fingers curled into a fist except for his pinky. His lips were turned up in a small smile and Kurt could see the laughter (and...was that hope? or fear?..) in his eyes.

Kurt sighed and linked his pinky with Blaine's. "You are _so_ _ridiculous_," he said, laughter and disbelief in his voice.

Blaine tightened his hold on Kurt's finger. "But that's why you love me!" He said, his smile morphing into a full-out grin.

Kurt felt his breath catch in his lungs. There it was...that _word_. Blaine could use it so casually, so _effortlessly_, as if it were very obvious. And Kurt, after spending so many years holding back what he really felt, never being able to use that word-except with his father, which wasn't the same thing at all-without worrying about it being misinterpreted, was finally able to say:

"Well, that's not the only reason I love you, you know."

Blaine chuckled, releasing his hold on Kurt's hand. Kurt missed the contact immediately.

"I got you to say it first!" Blaine said, a satisfied smirk on his face.

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Are you really going to make this a contest every time we see each other? Please tell me you're not actually keeping track of who says 'I love you' first each time."

Blaine rolled his eyes toward the ceiling, whistling innocently.

Kurt gasped. "You _are_. Oh my gosh, _why would you do that_." A horrifying thought crossed his mind. "You're not going to use that to guilt me into doing you a favor sometime, are you? Because that's just mean."

Blaine laughed. "You're so ridiculous. It's for myself, and I have no plans to use it to guilt you into _anything_."

Kurt frowned slightly, not understanding. "So...why are you keeping track then?"

"Because I want to stay ahead of you."

_Kurt was speechless. "Because I want to stay ahead of you." For a guy who says he's not very good at romance, he's doing a damn good job so far._ Kurt had no idea what to say. Blaine was beginning to look slightly uncomfortable, and Kurt realized he was probably overthinking what he'd said, worrying that it was the wrong thing. And since Kurt's brain couldn't come up with any words nearly as sweet as what he'd just heard, he did the only other logical thing.

He took a step forward and pressed his lips to Blaine's, resting one hand on the back of his neck and the other on his waist. He felt Blaine relax immediately, a soft sigh whispering from his lips. Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt, pressing them closer together, just enough so they could feel the warmth from each other's bodies.

They kissed for what seemed like forever, and yet, when they pulled away and Kurt touched his forehead to Blaine's, no time seemed to have passed at all. They stood quietly from a moment before Blaine said, "So now that you've tried to dodge my question _twice_, will you please tell me why you were thinking about Teenage Dream?"

Kurt tried to pull away, but Blaine's arms tightened around his waist. "Come on, Kurt. I promised not to make fun of you. I even pinky swore, just for you!"

Kurt sighed and rolled his eyes. He leaned closer to Blaine, pressing his lips to the other boy's ear.

"I was remembering the day I met you," he whispered.

This time, it was Blaine who was left without words. He felt his breath catch in his throat. His eyes widened.

"Any...ah..." He coughed, trying to clear his throat. "Any particular reason? Not that you need one, of course..."

Kurt pulled away, just enough to be able to look into Blaine's eyes. He smiled shyly, a flush creeping up his cheeks again, and his eyes darted to the side. He couldn't think straight with Blaine giving him that look.

He cleared his throat. "It's been exactly seven months since I happened to stop you on the steps at Dalton."

Blaine's face split into a grin. "Whoa, really?" He pursed his lips and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling, searching his mind for the memory. "Wow," he breathed. "I can't believe I didn't remember..." His voice trailed off, his eyes losing focus slightly as he replayed that day.

_He was late for Warblers practice, once again. Wes was going to _kill_ him; not only for being late for the fourth time within a week, but also for "being such a terrible example for the new Warblers. If we keep letting your lateness slide, they'll assume they can begin doing the same, and before we know it, practices will become chaos."_

_It wasn't Blaine's fault so many people insisted upon distracting him as he walked the Dalton halls. It would be unspeakably rude to brush them off, and a Warbler wasn't _ever_ to be rude._

_He raced down the down the stairs, head down, brushing quickly past the other students. As he reached floor level, a voice he didn't recognize said, "Excuse me." Blaine turned and glanced up at the young man on the staircase. The boy continued, "Um...hi. Can I ask you a question? I...I'm new here."_

_Blaine immediately knew the boy wasn't telling the truth. New students were given a uniform along with their class schedules and were expected to wear them right away. New students were also assigned an upper classman to be their guide for their first day._

_Blaine was about to call him out for telling an untruth...but something in the boy's eyes stopped him. Blaine smiled, held out his hand, and said, "My name is Blaine."_

_The boy glanced down at their clasped hands, then looked up at Blaine with a smile. "Kurt," he said, sounding a little breathless._

_Blaine released the boy's hand and watched as he glanced around at the bustling students._

_The boy (_Kurt_, Blaine corrected himself), sighed and said"So...what exactly is going on?"_

_"The Warblers," Blaine said, excitement in his voice. He glanced at the stud_ents milling around, _then looked back at Kurt and continued, "Every now and then they throw an impromptu performance in the senior commons." He glanced away again. "It tends to shut the school down for a while," he finished with a wink._

_Kurt's eyes widened as he watched the students flowing down the hall. "So...wait. The glee club here is kind of...cool?"_

_"The Warblers are like...rockstars," Blaine said, grinning._

_Kurt's eyebrows climbed his forehead, a look of sheer disbelief on his face. Blaine couldn't stop smiling. He reached for Kurt's hand and said, "Come on. I know a shortcut."_

_They raced down the empty hallway. Blaine realized that Kurt's arm was awkwardly crossing his body, but he didn't want to release the boy's hand. As they reached the senior commons, the doors swung open. Blaine released Kurt's hand and turned to face him._

_"Oh, I stick out like a sore thumb," Kurt said, observing the attire of the other students._

_"Next time, don't forget your jacket, new kid," Blaine said, reaching out to adjust the lapel of his jacket. "You'll fit right in," he said, winking and setting aside his bag._

_"Now if you'll excuse me," Blaine said, turning away and joining the Warblers, who had begun their background vocals for their number_.

_As the song began, Blaine turned in a slow circle, glancing around the room, a huge grin on his face, making eye contact with several students._

_And then...he looked at Kurt. As he sang, "You'll be my valentine...valentine," his eyes met Kurt's. The other boy was watching tentatively, hesitation in his eyes, a half-smile on his lips._

_Blaine began moving in time with the rest of the Warblers, shifting his gaze to other students, and stopping to look at Kurt often. As the performance continued, Blaine found himself looking at Kurt more than any of the other students or his fellow performers. He found himself singing to Kurt, pointing at him as he sang "You make me...feel like I'm living a teenage dream..." He repeated the motion each time the chorus began again._

_As the performance went on, Blaine continued to keep an eye on Kurt's expression. He saw the boy begin swaying with the music and a smile begin to form on his face. He watched as Kurt observed the reactions of the other students. He looked so...happy._

_Halfway through the song, Blaine sang "...when you look at me..." he looked into Kurt's eyes, drinking in the boy's ecstatic expression, the joy that could clearly be seen in his eyes and in the wide smile on his face._

_"Just one touch..." Blaine saw Kurt giggle and duck his head but he kept his eyes locked on Blaine's. Blaine decided he liked seeing Kurt smile, so he hammed up his performance a little bit, smiling wider, gesturing more dramatically, and making sure to look at Kurt as he sang._

_"Don't ever look back..don't ever look back..." He pointed at Kurt again, hazel eyes locking with blue once more. If possible, he saw Kurt's smile grow wider, his eyes scrunching shut._

_And as the song came to a close, the Warblers singing, "Be your teenage dream tonight," Blaine once again locked eyes with Kurt. Blaine was quickly mobbed by the students, but before his vision was completely blocked, he saw Kurt begin to clap wildly, his grin splitting his face and his eyes shining._

I'm glad I didn't call him out on his lie_, Blaine thought,_ this was a lot of fun_._


	2. Chapter 2

**A special thank you to Flying-with-Broken-Wings-13 & Emily31594 for reviewing the first chapter and asking for more. Much love! 3**

**Disclaimer: Again, I don't own Kurt or Blaine :(**

"Blaine." Kurt snapped his fingers. "Blaine, are you in there?"

"Hmm...?" Blaine murmured, slowly coming back from his reminiscing.

"I've been trying to bring your attention back to me for almost a minute. Where were you?" Kurt asked, grinning.

"Same place you were when I got here," Blaine said with a smile of his own.

Kurt frowned, puzzled for a moment. Then his eyes lit up and a smile split his face. "You were remembering, weren't you?"

Blaine nodded.

"You know..." Kurt started, then paused and bit his lip.

"What?" Blaine asked. "Come on, we're always honest with each other. You don't have to censor your thoughts around me."

Kurt shook his head, smirking. He strode out of the kitchen to the living room. Upon hearing Blaine's footsteps following him, he called out, "Stay there for a minute, okay?"

Blaine paused just inside the doorway, trying to figure out what Kurt could possibly be up to.

"Okay!" He heard Kurt's voice...from upstairs? Had he gone to his bedroom? "Come on up!"

Blaine walked up the stairs slowly, still trying to figure out what Kurt could possibly have up his sleeve. As he approached Kurt's bedroom, he could hear music playing faintly. He strained his ears, trying to hear what song Kurt had chosen. If he could just figure that out, maybe he could determine what Kurt was trying to surprise him with.

He reached Kurt's bedroom and noticed that the door was closed. He knocked sharply on it...just in case.

Kurt whipped the door open, startling Blaine and causing him to leap backwards. Kurt giggled.

"So...what are you up to?" Blaine asked, trying to peer around the door. All he could see of Kurt was his upper body; the rest was covered by the door. "What song are you listening to?" He stepped forward, intent on entering the room, when Kurt pulled the door open the rest of the way and began to sing...

"You think I'm pretty..."

"...without any makeup on," Kurt sang, slowly backing into the room.

Blaine stood in the doorway, mouth hanging open.

"You think I'm funny...when I tell the punchline wrong," Kurt continued, moving around his room to stand behind his bed.

Blaine stepped into the bedroom, mouth still agape.

"I know you get me...so I'll let my walls come down...dooown..." Kurt smiled shyly before continuing to sing.

"Before you met me...I was a wreck...but things were kinda heavy," Kurt's lips turned down into a frown, his shoulders slumping slightly.

"You brought me to life," the smile was back, his shoulders straight and proud once again. "Now every February...you'll be my valentine...valentine."

"Let's go all the way tonight," Kurt felt his cheeks heat up and noticed a blush creeping up on Blaine's as well. "No regrets, just love." He stepped forward, taking Blaine's hands in his. "We can dance until we die," he tugged on Blaine's hands, coaxing him to dance a little. "You and I...we'll be young forever." He held on to the last note just a little too long as he released Blaine's hands and stepped away.

"You make me," he burst into the chorus, pointing both hands at Blaine. "Feel like I'm living a Teenage Dream."

"The way you turn me on..." Kurt felt his cheeks heating again. "I can't sleep..." _oh, if Blaine only knew how true that line is, _Kurt thought.

"Let's run away..." he grabbed Blaine's hand, dragging his boyfriend out of the bedroom and toward the stairs. "And don't ever look back...don't ever look back." They raced down the stairs, stumbling slightly as they reached the main floor. Kurt released Blaine's hand, stepping down into the living room and leaving Blaine standing at the foot of the stairs.

"My heart stops..." Kurt placed his hands over his heart. "When you look at me..." He pointed at Blaine, locking his blue eyes with Blaine's hazel ones. "Just one touch..." He stepped forward, trailing a finger down Blaine's arm.

"Now baby I believe...this is real." Kurt stepped back into the living room, bouncing from one foot to another.

"So take a chance..." he stepped forward again, grabbing Blaine's hand and tugging him towards the front door.

"And don't ever look back...don't ever look back..."

Kurt tugged the door open, dragging Blaine outside.

"We drove to Cali...and got drunk on the beach..." He released Blaine's hand and moved to the other side of his car, laying his upper body across it and holding Blaine's eyes.

"Got a motel and...built a fort out of sheets..." Kurt disappeared from Blaine's view as he circled the Navigator.

"I finally found you..." Kurt appeared from the rear of the vehicle, reaching forward to grab Blaine's hand once again.

"My missing puzzle piece..." he leaned forward, his lips close to Blaine's ear. "I'm complete."

The boys began jogging around the house as Kurt continued singing, "Let's go all...the way tonight. No regrets...just love.."

They reached the back yard as Kurt belted out, "We can dance...until we die...you and I...we'll be young forever." He nearly lost the note as Blaine started to dance. Blaine let go of Kurt's hands so he would be more free to move.

"You make me.." Kurt launched into the chorus.

"Feel like...I'm living a Teenage Dream..." Blaine joined in, no longer willing to just stand by and watch Kurt perform.

"The way you turn me on..." Both boys blushed and giggled. "I can't sleep...Let's run away..." They joined hands again, racing around the yard as they sang. "And don't ever look back...don't ever look back..."

They stopped in a corner, releasing their hands and hopping from one foot to the other, perfectly in sync. "My heart stops..." they pressed their hands to their chests. "When you look at me..." They pointed at each other, and Blaine winked, causing Kurt to giggle and nearly skip the next lyrics.

"Just one touch.." They reached out their right hands, each trailing a finger down the other's left arm.

"Now baby I believe...this is real..." Their hands linked together once more. "So take a chance...and don't ever look back...don't ever look back."

Kurt pressed a finger to Blaine's lips to prevent him from singing for a moment. He pressed his hand to Blaine's chest. "I might get your heart racing..." He moved his hands to his hips, running them down his thighs. "In my skin-tight jeans...be your teenage dream tonight..."

He reached for Blaine's hands, and placed them on his hips, covering them with his own hands. "Let you put your hands on me...in my skin-tight jeans..." Kurt reached up and rested his hands on Blaine's cheeks. "Be your teenage dream tonight."

"You make me..." Blaine joined in once again. "Feel like I'm living a Teenage Dream." He spun Kurt around. "The way you turn me on..." Again, both of them blushed and giggled. "I can't sleep..."

They took off running once more, hands linked between them. "Let's run away...and don't ever look back...don't ever look back."

They paused in the middle of the yard, hands pressed to their hearts. "My heart stops...when you look at me."

"Just one touch..." They each pressed a hand to the others' cheek. "Now baby I believe..." They started running again. "This is real...so take a chance and don't ever look back...don't ever...look back."

Kurt stopped running as he sang the last lyrics. "I might get your heart racing...in my skin-tight jeans...be your teenage dream tonight..." He and Blaine stood, facing one another, their chests heaving from exertion.

"...Let you put your hands on me...in my skin-tight jeans...be your teenage dream tonight."

And as Kurt sang the final note, Blaine tackled him, slamming them both to the ground.

"Oof." The air rushed out of Kurt's lungs. He glared at Blaine. "Why did you do that? I'm going to be COVERED in grass stains!"

"I'll pay for the damages. Promise." Blaine chuckled. "You honestly expected me not to jump you after that? Have you looked at yourself lately?"

Kurt squirmed beneath Blaine, his eyes downcast.

Blaine's expression softened, the smile fading from his face and eyes. "Kurt?"

Blaine watched as Kurt's cheeks flushed, but the other boy still wouldn't look at him.

Blaine sighed, placing a hand on Kurt's cheek while using the other to prop himself up. "Come on, look at me. What did I say?"

Kurt still wouldn't meet his eyes. Blaine huffed out a breath before sliding down Kurt's body slightly and resting his chin on Kurt's chest. He reached forward, placing a hand on either side of Kurt's face, his thumbs lightly brushing the soft skin of his cheeks. Neither of them spoke for a few moments. Kurt's chest rose and fell steadily as he breathed, and Blaine continued stroking his cheeks, still watching Kurt and waiting for Kurt to respond.

"Why?" The word fell from Kurt's lips, almost too quiet for Blaine to hear.

"...why...what?" Blaine asked. Kurt was usually very easy for him to read, but, right now, Blaine had no idea what Kurt was thinking.

"Why did you ask if I'd looked at myself lately?" Kurt asked, his chin tilting down slightly to look into Blaine's eyes.

Blaine was quiet for a moment, trying to read the expression on Kurt's face. His boyfriend's eyes could hold so many emotions and could express what Kurt was feeling better than his words. And...there it was. The reason why Kurt seemed so unsettled by Blaine's words, why Kurt had grown so serious.

"You really don't see how beautiful you are, do you?" Blaine asked. Kurt's eyes widened. Blaine felt Kurt's chest rise sharply as he gasped.

Blaine dropped his hands to his sides, levering himself up to hover above Kurt.

"_How?"_ Blaine asked, trying to keep the disbelief in his voice to a minimum. "How do you not see it? You spend so much time choosing your outfits, and taking care of your outward appearance..." Blaine trailed off as he watched Kurt's eyes steadily growing brighter, tears shining in them. _I'm saying this all wrong. Fix it, Blaine. Fix it! _Blaine sighed, then rocked back on his heels and stood up. He held out an arm for Kurt. "Come on. Let's go inside. I want to show you something."

Blaine led Kurt back inside the house and up the stairs to Kurt's bedroom. He led Kurt to the small area where Kurt's vanity was set up and sat down on the bench, tugging Kurt down beside him. Blaine wrapped an arm around Kurt's shoulders, pulling him close.

"Okay," Blaine said. "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see."

Kurt sighed. He briefly considered trying to distract Blaine from whatever he was trying to do. However, since Blaine hadn't been swayed earlier, Kurt really didn't see the point in trying again. "I'm too pale," he began quietly. "My hair looks terrible if I don't take the time to style it. My nose is too big; my lips are too red. And my teeth-"

"Stop." Blaine cut him off. Kurt stopped speaking, his teeth gnawing on his lower lip. Blaine placed a hand on Kurt's cheek, locking eyes with him in the reflection of the mirror.

"I love your skin. I love how soft it is beneath my hands, how well it contrasts with my own." He reached up, tugging at Kurt's bangs that were swept to the side. "I love your hair, no matter what you do with it." Blaine reached around, tweaking Kurt's nose. "Your nose is just right." Kurt's expression relaxed slightly.

Blaine's fingers trailed lightly over Kurt's lips. "I never want to hear you say bad things about your lips. They are _beautiful._ In fact..." Blaine angled himself toward Kurt, placing his hands on Kurt's cheeks.

"I think I'll show you just how much I love them," he said, leaning forward and pressing his lips to Kurt's.

Kurt's response was hesitant. He didn't seem entirely unwilling, but Blaine didn't want to feel obligated to participate. Blaine pulled away, resting his forehead on Kurt's.

"What now?" he asked.

Kurt looked away, leaning back and shifting uncomfortably. "I just..." Kurt moved further away from Blaine, standing up and facing away from him.

"I'm having a hard time believing you, I guess."


	3. Chapter 3

**The beginning here was tough for me to write. Blaine **_**insisted**_** on a flashback, and he nearly broke my heart with his story. Thank you to TranquillityofPassion for reviewing chapter two! :)**

**Disclaimer: They're still not mine; they're just living in my head for a little while.**

* * *

><p>Blaine sighed, then stood up and grabbed Kurt's hand, leading both of them to the bed. He sat on the edge, releasing Kurt's hand and patting the space next to him. Kurt sat down gingerly.<p>

Blaine lifted the edge of his shirt slightly and lowered the waistband of his pants a little. "Do you see that mark?" he asked quietly.

Kurt's mouth dropped open as he stared at the angry red scar on Blaine's hip. He reached out, tentatively running his fingers over the raised skin. Blaine shivered, and Kurt snatched his hand away.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked.

Blaine bit his lip and shook his head.

"...what happened?" Kurt asked.

"Do you remember what I told you, the night you asked me to go to prom with you?" Kurt nodded.

"...well..."

_There was nothing romantic about this date. They were two friends, who happened to be boys (and gay) and wanted to enjoy the dance without having to deal with the awkwardness of entertaining a female the entire time, worrying the girl would expect more than either of them were willing to give, even if it would mean keeping up "normal" appearances. And while they didn't overtly express themselves-their suits didn't even complement each other-it was still very obvious they were together._

_And no one was happy about this. Blaine and Jeff were on the receiving end of many displeased, disgusted glances, but no one said anything to either of them. The boys had agreed to only react if one of them was verbally or physically taunted, so they ignored the uncomfortable glares of their fellow students and focused on having fun._

_After the dance, they waited in front of the school for Jeff's dad to pick them up. Blaine bent down to tie his shoe...and when he stood up, Jeff was gone._

_Terror seized his heart. He tried to keep his breathing calm as he listened for any sound to help him find his friend._

_"LET ME GO!"_

_The shout came from the side of the building, followed quickly by a muffled thud._

_Blaine resisted the urge to run towards the sound, trying instead to walk slowly in the direction of the noises, hoping to sneak up on Jeff's attackers and rescue the boy from their torment._

_As he rounded the corner, Jeff screamed again. "Please...please just stop..." he sobbed. Blaine heard the loud _thud...thud...thud..._of blows landing, and then, finally, he could see them._

_Jeff was lying on the ground, curled in a fetal position, with three boys pummeling him. All of Blaine's intentions to stay quiet, to try to sneak up on the boys, vanished immediately._

_He started running. "STOP!" he shouted as he threw himself over Jeff. _

_Within moments, four hands grabbed him, dragging him off and away from Jeff. His arms and legs were quickly pinned down. He struggled mightily, trying desperately to break free. A fist landed in his gut, and the air whooshed out of his lungs. He fought for breath, his struggles to break free ceasing._

_A hand pressed down on his hip. Another tugged on his shirt, pulling it free from his slacks. Something cool pressed against the skin of his hip. Blaine barely had time to register the sensation before pain seared through his body._

"Blaine? Blaine!"

Blaine leaped to his feet, breathing hard, pulse pounding.

"...Blaine?" The voice questioned, tentative this time. Blaine forced himself to focus, to look into Kurt's wide, frightened eyes.

Kurt slowly stood up, keeping his hands at his sides as he walked toward Blaine.

"...what...what happened?" Blaine asked. He searched his mind for the memory but couldn't remember what had occurred in the last few minutes.

Kurt took a deep breath. "You were telling me what happened...the night of the Sadie Hawkins dance..." he paused, his eyes filling with tears. "You had just reached Jeff, and the boys had pinned you down, and one of them...he.."

Blaine reached out, pulling Kurt into his arms, clinging tightly as they both began to cry.

Time passed. Their sobs turned to sniffles and faded into silence, but neither boy was ready to let go. Kurt stepped backwards, pulling Blaine with him and sitting down on the edge of the bed. Blaine sat on Kurt's lap, his arms wrapped around Kurt's neck and his face buried in Kurt's chest.

Kurt rested his chin on Blaine's head, then buried his face in the other boy's curls. "So Blaine..."

"Mmm?" Blaine murmured.

"Not that I mind...but why did you share that story with me?"

Blaine sighed, then pulled away from Kurt slightly so he could look into his boyfriend's eyes.

"That's not the only mark they left on me, Kurt," he whispered. Kurt's hands immediately reached for the hem of Blaine's shirt, only to be stopped by Blaine's firm grasp on his wrists. "No. Not now," he said, taking Kurt's hands in his. Kurt frowned, then opened his mouth to protest, only to be silenced by Blaine's finger resting on his lips. "I'll tell you everything, eventually, but right now..." he dropped his hand and sighed, his gaze shifting to their joined hands.

"I shared that story with you because...it's so ugly. I have _seen_ ugliness, Kurt; I've seen and experienced terrible, awful things." He raised his head, locking his eyes with Kurt's.

"You...you embody everything that is good, and perfect, and _right_ in this world, Kurt." He placed his hands on either side of Kurt's face. "You are so incredibly _kind_ and _compassionate_, and your outward appearance...that's a reflection of who you are inside, Kurt. And to know that you don't see how beautiful you are..." Blaine sighed. "I wish you would see yourself the way I see you."

Kurt laced his fingers through Blaine's, where they still rested on his cheeks. "I...I'll try," he whispered, and Blaine's eyes lit up. He leaned forward, pressing his lips to Kurt's. This time, Kurt responded eagerly, molding his lips to Blaine's.

Blaine pressed further, tilting Kurt back until he was lying on the bed with Blaine hovering over him.

They stayed that way for a few minutes, kissing, touching exploring. Yes, they were both eager teenagers, but this was brand new territory for both of them, and they wanted to savor every moment. Neither felt the need to rush to the end when the beginning was so exhilarating.

Eventually, Blaine pulled away, laying his head on Kurt's chest and trying to steady his breathing. Kurt's chest was heaving; his face flushed and his hair a mess.

"I love you," Blaine whispered.

Kurt smiled sleepily. "I love you too."

* * *

><p>When Burt opened the door, he noticed that his house was quiet. <em>Almost too quiet,<em> he thought. _Kurt asked if he could bring Blaine over for the afternoon...I wonder..._ Burt tried to avoid thinking about what his son-and step-son, for that matter-did with their significant others, but he remembered being a teenage boy, dealing with hormones and the excitement of first love.

He peeked in the kitchen, noting how much time was left before dinner would be finished. The boys weren't in the living room, either. That really only left one place. Burt sighed, then started to climb the stairs to the second floor.

"Burt?" he heard Carole's voice calling him from the garage.

"Yeah?"

"Is Kurt nearby? I need to ask him something." Carole entered the house, toeing off her shoes and closing the door to the garage.

"No. I haven't seen either of the boys yet."

Carole shot him a knowing glance. "I know what you're thinking. Two boys, alone in the house for a few hours..." Burt rolled his eyes to the ceiling.

Carole pressed a hand to his cheek. "You and Kurt talked about this, remember? The two of you agreed on what behaviors would be acceptable while we're out." She moved her hand to his shoulder, squeezing slightly. "You raised your son well, Burt. Have a little faith in him."She smiled, and Burt relaxed a little.

"How about I go take a look upstairs, hmm? And if the two of you need to talk, I'll send him down right away. Why don't you go check on dinner for us?"

Burt pecked her on the lips, then wandered back into the kitchen.

Carole quietly climbed the stairs, listening for any unusual sounds. Kurt usually had music playing if he was in his bedroom and the silence was somewhat disconcerting. As she reached his bedroom, she noticed the door was open. She peeked inside...

...the boys were lying on Kurt's bed, Blaine lying on top of Kurt with his arms tight around her step-son's waist. One of Kurt's hands was buried in Blaine's hair, the other resting on the small of his back.

The boys were fast asleep. Carole could see tear tracks on each of the boys' cheeks and wondered what had gone on.

She backed out of the room, closing the door quietly.

Kurt woke slowly. He was warm, and a comforting weight was pressed into his stomach, strong arms wrapped around his waist.

He opened his eyes, gazing first at the ceiling, then down at the head of curls laying on his stomach, and, finally, at the door.

…the _closed_ door.

_I don't recall closing that when we came in here,_ Kurt ran through what had happened after they came inside. Blaine had led him upstairs, and neither of them had bothered to close the door before they made their way to Kurt's vanity. And after their talk, they'd lain on the bed for a few minutes, neither of them saying a word…and had, evidently, fallen asleep right there. Blaine's arms hadn't moved from where they'd been clasped around Kurt's waist before they had fallen asleep, and Kurt couldn't have moved without awakening the other boy.

_Who closed the door then…_ Kurt's eyes widened in horror before he slammed them shut and groaned.

Blaine mumbled sleepily, turning his head to the other side, his arms tightening around Kurt's waist.

Kurt sighed and began running his fingers through Blaine's curls, lightly tugging on the ends.

"Wake up, little one," he whispered, continuing to tug on Blaine's curls. His other hand began lightly tracing his boyfriend's spine. Blaine squirmed, murmuring quietly. Kurt chuckled, then reached to run his fingers down Blaine's sides.

Blaine bolted upright, smacking Kurt's hands away. "Stop that," he scolded, eyes half-shut. "I never should have told you how ticklish I am."

Kurt laughed, reaching out to ruffle Blaine's hair. Blaine shook his head, making Kurt laugh harder.

Blaine smiled at Kurt, glancing sideways at him. "Sleep well?" he asked, grinning.

Kurt stretched, his shirt creeping up his torso, revealing a strip of pale skin. Blaine dove at him, ticking his sides aggressively.

"Gah. Blaine! Stop!" Kurt squirmed under his boyfriend's hands. Blaine's hands stilled as he leaned forward to peck Kurt on the nose. He pulled back briefly, hazel eyes meeting brilliant blue, then pressed his lips to Kurt's.

A sharp knock startled both of them. Blaine jerked away from Kurt, ready to put distance between them if necessary.

"Kurt?" Carole's voice called through the door. "Are you boys awake?" The door handle began to turn, and Blaine started to pull away from Kurt, only to be yanked back to Kurt's chest. "Carole won't make a big deal about this," Kurt whispered.

"And your dad would, right?" Blaine replied, chuckling. He rested his head on Kurt's chest, his face turned away from the door.

"Absolutely. And don't get me started on Finn."

The door opened, and Carole peeked in. "Kurt?" she queried as she glanced at the bed. "Oh, good! You're up. Dinner will be ready soon...I'm assuming Blaine is joining us?" Kurt nodded, running his fingers through Blaine's hair. Carole sat down on the bed, leaning over to peer at Blaine. "Is he still asleep?" she asked.

Even though Blaine's breathing was even, his posture relaxed and his eyes closed, Kurt knew he hadn't fallen asleep again. "Maybe," he replied. "He's had a long week..."

Carole reached a hand over, gently brushing Blaine's hair away from his forehead.

"Oh!" Carole looked over at Kurt.

"...yes?" Kurt asked, slightly wary.

"Your father was watching the news; a bad storm is headed our way, and even if Blaine left now, he might not beat it home. He agreed that Blaine could spend the night if the storm hits and doesn't let up by a reasonable hour."

Kurt's eyes widen. "...he agreed to let Blaine sleep over?" he asked, disbelief coloring his words. Carole smiled.

"Yes. We spent a _long_ time discussing it-specifically sleeping arrangements," she glanced over at Kurt, whose face was turning red once again. "I think you'll like what we decided."

Kurt quirked a brow. "Oh?" he said, trying to keep his breathing even. He knew if his father had been the only one making the rules, Blaine would sleep as far away from Kurt as possible-preferably in, say, the garage, but with Carole here to reason with him...

"I convinced him to let you and Blaine share your room, if you boys wanted to."

Kurt nearly bolted upright in surprise, and he felt Blaine's hands tighten around him slightly.

"How did you manage to do that?" Kurt asked, completely stunned.

Carole smiled softly. "I reminded him that waking up in the arms of the one you love is one of the _best_ feelings a person can enjoy. We shouldn't deny you that, even if you are young." Carole paused, glancing at Blaine again. "I've seen the way he looks at you, Kurt. You're not just another boy to him. You're special." She looked at Kurt again. "And I know you feel the same way."

Kurt blushed, ducking his head and looking away. Carole placed a hand on his cheek.

"I also know what it's like to be young and in love. To want to have your 'other half' with you whenever you possibly can, to be able to hold, touch and kiss that person often. To explore one another, to deepend the relationship." Kurt's blush deepened as Carole continued speaking. He knew where the conversation was going and hoped this wouldn't be too awkward.

"Your father is of the opinion that the two of you can't keep your hands off each other, " Kurt turned scarlet, and Carole laughed quietly. "He's also very, _very_ protective of you. And while I, too, want only the best for you, and want to just wrap you in my arms and keep you safe forever, that's simply not possible." Carole rested her hands in her lap, pausing a moment before she continued, "Kurt, I'm not saying you can't have sex with your boyfriend-"she paused and glanced at Kurt, who had made a choked-off sound "just...don't do anything you're not ready for, alright? Your father is convinced Blaine is, or will, pressure you to move faster than you boys ought to, but I disagree. Unfortunately, he doesn't understand when I say 'I just have a feeling,' so I haven't had much luck convincing him to change his mind."

"He isn't pressuring me," Kurt said softly. "Neither of us is really ready...We've talked about it a little, but..." his voice trailed off.

"I don't need the details, sweetheart," Carole said. "If you want to talk about it, I'll always be willing to listen, but don't feel obligated, okay?" She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "I'm going to go help your father finish making dinner. Finn is taking Rachel out, so it'll just be the four of us." She left the room, closing the door behind her.

Kurt felt Blaine start shaking. "Blaine?" he asked, slightly worried.

"I wish I could have seen you face during that conversation," Blaine said, choking on his laughter. "Your expressions must have been absolutely _priceless!"_

Kurt pursed his lips before grabbing Blaine's arms and shoving him off the bed. Blaine landed with a _thud, _and Kurt got off the bed, walking towards the door. Blaine caught his arm just as Kurt was reaching for the knob.

"Aww, Kurt, come on, don't be upset. It wasn't even that bad!" Kurt didn't turn around. Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt, rising up on his toes to press a kiss to the skin below Kurt's ear. Kurt shivered, then whirled around and pressed his lips to Blaine's.

"I wasn't mad at all, actually," he said, smirking. "I just like to see you grovel." He opened the door, dashing out and leaving Blaine standing in his bedroom, mouth hanging open.


	4. Chapter 4

**Natasa (is it alright if I use your name? :D), I wasn't expecting the storm, either. This was supposed to be a fluffy little thing where Blaine comes over for dinner, and we get to see some Hudmel + Blaine bonding. But the characters have taken this story and started running with it, and I'm not planning to fight it.**

**Disclaimer: If it's related to the show, it's not mine. The boys are renting space in my head for a little while.**

* * *

><p>Kurt bolted down the stairs, followed quickly by Blaine. "Kurt Hummel, you get back here!" Blaine called, chasing Kurt into the living room. Kurt ducked behind the recliner, leaving Blaine on the other side of the room, glaring at him.<p>

"Now who's acting like he's five?" Blaine asked, smirking.

"Me!" Kurt grinned.

Blaine strode toward Kurt, a devilish grin on his face. Kurt glanced around nervously, realizing he couldn't escape without running past Blaine. He darted forward, hoping to escape to the kitchen, but Blaine's arms wrapped around his waist and the boys fell on the couch with a _thump_.

"Oof," Kurt breathed. "We need to talk about your obsession with slamming me into things. That's twice in one day!"

"At least the couch is softer than the ground outside," Blaine said as he rose up on his elbows. Kurt rolled his eyes.

"Boys?" Carole called from the kitchen. "Dinner's ready! Come join us."

Blaine sighed, pressing his lips to Kurt's before standing up and offering the other boy his hand to help him up.

* * *

><p>Dinner wasn't nearly as awkward as Kurt had feared. Carole kept the conversation going, discussing what she had done during the week, asking Blaine if he had any plans for the summer, and teasing Kurt about his his refusal to spend much time in the sun. "My complexion is very important to me" was all Kurt had to say on the matter.<p>

After dinner, Carole shooed the boys out of the kitchen, insisting she and Burt could would handle cleaning up.

"Storm's comin' in," Burt commented as he gathered the dinner dishes. Carole glanced out the window at the darkening sky.

"Should we have Blaine call his parents now?" she asked.

"Nah," Burt said, glancing over his shoulder at her. "Let's wait and see how bad the storm gets.

Carole shook her head, smiling affectionately. "You just don't want the boys to make any plans."

Burt continued gathering the dishes, and Carole turned to the sink, turning on the tap and adding soap.

* * *

><p>Blaine and Kurt sat on the couch, watching the darkening clouds steadily grow denser. Lightning flashed; thunder rumbled, and rain began pelting the windows.<p>

"Oh, shoot!" Blaine jumped up from the couch.

"Blaine?" Kurt queried.

"I forgot to roll up my windows! My car is gonna get soaked!"

Kurt rolled his eyes, then stood up, grabbing Blaine's hand and leading him to the door. "Come on; let's go take care of that, then."

The boys stood on the porch for a moment, bracing themselves for getting drenched.

"My hair will be ruined," Kurt said with a frown. "Maybe I should just stay here and keep an eye on you..."

Blaine pressed his lips to Kurt's ear and whispered, "I want to see you get wet, though. I want to see you with your hair hanging in your eyes, your shirt clinging to your skin..."

Kurt dashed for Blaine's car, no longer thinking about the damage being done to his hair or the sorry state his clothes would be in after this escapade. Blaine raced after him, and nearly beat Kurt to the driver's side door. Kurt reached his hand through the window, unlocking the door and throwing himself into the seat.

"Keys, please," he said, grinning and holding out his hand.

Blaine sighed, shaking his head to clear the water from his eyes. He reached into his pocket, grabbing his keys and thrusting them at Kurt who snatched them from his hand and blew Blaine a kiss. Blaine flicked his fingers at Kurt's face, causing him to squeak in protest. "You got water in my eyes!" he accused, dragging a finger over his eyes to clear them. Blaine just smiled innocently, his eyes sparkling with merriment.

Kurt put the key into the ignition, turned it, then reached for the controls and rolled up the windows. He opened the door as he removed the key, and pressed the automatic lock before closing the door.

With no warning, Kurt found himself pressed against the car door, his arms pinned to his sides and Blaine's lips pressing kisses to his jaw.

"What," Kurt gasped as Blaine pressed himself closer, "did I say about slamming me into things?"

Blaine jerked himself back, but his hold on Kurt's hands didn't loosen. He lowered his chin to his chest, shifting uncomfortably as he said, "I'm sorry..."

Kurt sighed, twisting his arms in Blaine's grip so he could grasp Blaine's arms with his hands. He tugged gently, and Blaine looked up, water dripping steadily into his sad eyes.

"I don't _really_ mind, you know," Kurt said. "But every time you do this, I'm reminded of the numerous times I've been thrown into lockers." Blaine opened his mouth to say something, but Kurt kept talking, leaving him no chance to interrupt. "Don't apologize again. You aren't to blame for the things that haven happened to me in the past, and, honestly?" he leaned forward, pressing his lips to Blaine's ear, "I _like_ your aggressiveness. It's nice to know even cool, calm and collected Blaine Anderson isn't actually perfect."

Blaine surged forward, locking his lips with Kurt's and pressing their bodies together. Kurt returned the kiss eagerly, shaking his hands free of Blaine's and reaching up to place his hands on Blaine's neck, his thumbs brushing the boy's cheeks. Blaine responded in kind, wrapping his arms around Kurt's neck and pulling him closer.

Kurt's hands left Blaine's neck, trailing down his sides before settling on his hips. He squeezed gently, and Blaine gasped, pulling Kurt even closer. Despite the cool rain flowing down their bodies, both boys felt warm, almost uncomfortably so.

The blare of a car horn startled both of them, and the boys jumped apart, gasping for breath as they glanced in the direction of the sound. If his cheeks hadn't been flushed from exertion already, Kurt knew his cheeks would be flaming. Blaine grabbed his hand, tugging him back toward the house.

"Do you suppose he saw...?" Blaine asked as they reached the door.

"Oh, he saw alright. The real question is, what will he _say."_ Kurt opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind Blaine.

Carole looked up from her spot on the couch. "You boys are _drenched_!" she exclaimed. "Stay there while I grab some towels so you can dry off a little before you go change."

Kurt glanced at Blaine as Carole went upstairs to grab some old towels. You look like a drowned puppy!" he laughed.

"You don't look much better, honey," Blaine replied. "Your hair might never recover!"

Carole came back downstairs and handed a towel to each of the boys. Before Kurt could begin drying his hair, Blaine wrapped his towel around Kurt's head, rubbing it vigorously. Kurt swatted at Blaine's hands. "Stop that!" he protested, ducking away from Blaine's arms. Blaine chuckled, then started drying his own hair while Kurt tried to wring some of the water out of his shirt.

"Leave your socks and shoes by the door," Carole said. "That should help minimize the water damage to the rest of the house."

"Speaking of water damage," Blaine looked at his clothes. "I didn't think to bring extra clothing..."

"You can borrow something from me," Kurt said.

Blaine raised an eyebrow, and Kurt continued, "I do own pajamas, you know. And I think I have a pair of sweatpants somewhere..."

The boys made their way back to Kurt's bedroom, and Kurt rummaged through his closet for dry clothes for the two of them. "Do you want a pair of jeans?" he asked, peering over his shoulder at Blaine.

"...do you own anything other than skinny jeans?" Blaine asked, slightly wary.

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Of course I do." He tugged a pair of pants off a hanger. "In fact, I think these actually belong to you."

"...why do you have a pair of my pants?"

"When I brought you back here after Rachel's party in February, you _insisted_ on changing into something more comfortable. And when you woke up, you were so out of it that you forgot to change back. I was preoccupied with bracing myself for an awkward conversation with my father, so I didn't remember either."

"And you didn't say anything later because...?" Blaine asked, curious.

Kurt blushed. "Neither did you!" he fired back. "You still have the sweatpants I loaned you."

"You said you didn't like them anyway, so I decided to keep them," Blaine said. "I wear them to bed every night." Blaine's mouth closed abruptly as his brain caught up with what he'd been saying. He flushed, his ears and face turning crimson.

Kurt laughed, "I don't feel bad wearing your jeans to school anymore."

"...you wore them to school? Why?"

Kurt sighed, smiling sadly. "We'd just learned that Coach Sylvester's sister had passed away. It...it hit me hard...made me remember how sad I'd been when my mom died. It was...comforting, I guess, for me to wear them, to have something tangible that belongs to the person I love." He shook his head. "It sounds so ridiculous when I explain it."

"I don't think it sounds silly at all," Blaine said quietly. "It's...sweet. And adorable."

Kurt flushed crimson and threw the pants at Blaine before grabbing a pair for himself. He moved to the dresser, searching the drawers for a t-shirt, which he also tossed in Blaine's direction.

Kurt unbuttoned his shirt, peeling it away from his body and draping it over the side of his dresser. He heard Blaine gasp behind him and cringed. _I completely forgot about the scars..._ He turned around, bracing himself for Blaine's inevitable questions.

Blaine stepped forward, placing a hand on Kurt's shoulder before moving to stand behind him. Kurt felt Blaine's hands tracing the marks on his back. The cuts had healed months ago but the scars had yet to fade.

"These are from you getting shoved into the lockers, aren't they?" Blaine whispered.

Kurt sighed. "Yes. They don't hurt anymore, though." Blaine's arms wrapped around his waist and he pressed a kiss to one of the scars.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you," Blaine said.

"If it hadn't, I probably wouldn't have ended up at Dalton," Kurt replied. He turned in Blaine's arms. "I'm not saying I'm _glad_ I got shoved into lockers on a daily basis, but I can't say I'm unhappy with the end result." Blaine smiled, but his eyes still held sadness. Kurt leaned down, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before saying, "Go change. You're making me cold!" Blaine rolled his eyes, stepping away from Kurt and peeling his shirt over his head.

This time, Kurt was the one to gasp at the sight before his eyes. Blaine's chest was covered in scars, some as large as the one on his hip and others less than an inch long. Kurt's eyes widened in horror as he counted the marks.

Blaine quickly tugged on the shirt Kurt had given him. As Kurt opened his mouth to speak, Blaine pressed a finger to his lips and said, "Not now. I..." he sighed. "I'd rather not discuss it anymore today, if that's alright with you?"

Kurt bit his lip, torn between wanting to know the rest of the story from that night and wanting to comply with Blaine's wishes.

"Alright," he agreed after a few moments of thought. He held up his hand, pinky extended. "But you have to promise to tell me, someday. Preferably soon."

Blaine linked his hand with Kurt's. "I will."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: <strong>For anyone who is curious, I do have this bit of fiction nearly completed. It's pushing twenty thousand words (I'm at a bit more than seventeen thousand right now), so there's much more for you to look forward to! :)

As always, feedback is welcome, and feel free to ask questions, too! :)


	5. Chapter 5

**This chapter is a little shorter, but this was the best place to stop in order to keep the story flowing decently.**

**The usual disclaimer applies.**

* * *

><p>The boys made their way back downstairs where Finn, Carole and Burt were watching Toy Story 3.<p>

"Oh my gosh, I _love_ this movie!" Blaine exulted, rushing down the stairs and plopping himself on the couch next to Finn, who glanced at him curiously before returning his gaze to the TV.

Kurt followed at a more sedate pace, settling into the third space on the couch and leaving several inches between himself and Blaine. After a few moments, Kurt began to lean back into the couch. An arm snaked around his waist, tugging him to the left. Startled, he squeaked in protest as Blaine dragged him closer, pulling Kurt snugly to his side. "You should cuddle with me," Blaine whispered. "Your family won't mind."

Kurt cast a glance at Finn, whose eyes were still focused on the TV and then at his parents. Burt was sitting in the recliner, and Carole had brought a chair from the kitchen and placed it next to the recliner. Their hands were laced together, faces relaxed, their bodies leaning towards each other slightly.

Blaine was right. His family wasn't paying any attention to them at all. He snuggled closer to Blaine, leaning his head on Blaine's shoulder and resting his left hand on Blaine's hip.

Each of them had seen the movie before-even Finn-but the ending still brought tears to everyone's eyes. Burt and Finn were blinking rapidly while Carole, Blaine and Kurt had tears sliding down their cheeks.

Burt grabbed the remote, shutting off the DVD player and the TV. He stood up and peered out the window.

"Storm's getting worse," he commented. He turned to look at the boys. "You should probably call your parents, Blaine, and let them know you're staying with us. I don't want you getting hurt trying to drive home in this mess."

Kurt felt Blaine tense against him, his body closing in on itself slightly. Blaine's eyes slid shut for a moment, and Kurt looked over at Carole who was looking at both boys with concern in her eyes.

"Blaine, honey, why don't you give me your parents' number and I'll talk to them?" she offered.

Blaine opened his eyes. "Umm...sure. That would be great." He and Carole rose, walking to the kitchen to make the phone call. Kurt remained on the couch, a slightly puzzled expression on his face. _Now that I think about it...none of us really know anything about Blaine's parents. I hope they don't mind him staying here tonight..._

* * *

><p>Blaine slowly followed Carole into the kitchen, head down and shoulders slouched. Carole laid a hand on his cheek, and he jerked away sharply.<p>

"Are you alright, sweetie?" Carole asked.

Blaine bit his lip, then sighed and said, "My parents are very...rigid people." He tried to choose his words carefully, wanting to be honest with Carole without presenting her with bad impression of his parents.

"Will they be upset that you're staying here?"

Blaine looked away, shifting uncomfortably. "If the weather weren't so bad, they would never let me stay here, even though you, Burt and Finn will be home."

Carole laid a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently. "Tell me your home phone number, sweetie. Maybe they'll be more understanding if I'm doing the talking."

Carole reached for the phone as Blaine recited the number. Carole pressed the phone to hear ear, waiting for the Andersons to answer. Blaine sat at the table, fingers drumming nervously on the table.

"Mrs. Anderson?" Carole queried. Blaine's hands froze as he listened to Carole speak with his mother.

"Hi, my name is Carole Hummel..." her voice trailed off, and Blaine strained to hear what was being said but could only make out indistinguishable sounds.

"Mrs. Anderson." Carole's voice had lost its cheery politeness. "I wanted to speak to you regarding Blaine staying here for the night." Blaine heard the noises start up again, but Carole continued speaking. "The roads are in terrible condition, and the wind is far too strong for Blaine to be able to drive home safely."

Blaine was shocked. No one _ever _continued speaking when his mother interrupted. He could only imagine the expression on her face.

"There's no reason for you or your husband to risk your lives coming to pick up your son. He'll be perfectly safe here for the night, and we'll send him home after breakfast."

The noises started again, louder than before. Blaine turned around to see Carole's face go stark white, her eyes widening and anger sparking in her eyes.

"That's enough." Carole's face was slowly flushing red, her eyes shining angrily.

"I am looking out for your son's well-being and for my son's as well. There is absolutely _no reason_ for anyone to risk their lives driving in this weather. This was neither Kurt's nor Blaine's idea; I suggested he stay after Burt told me about the storm."

Blaine stood up, slowly walking closer to Carole, straining to hear the conversation.

"..._you're giving your son the opportunity to take advantage of mine!"_

Blaine's jaw dropped open. Carole gasped.

"Victoria, this conversation is finished. Blaine is staying here for the night, and you and your husband will stay at yours. We'll see you in the morning."

She ended the call and pressed a trembling hand to her mouth.

"...Carole?" Blaine asked, resting a hand on her shoulder.

Carole set the phone on the counter, reaching out and clutching the boy close. Blaine could hear her sniffing quietly, as if trying to hold back tears.

Over Carole's shoulder, Blaine saw Kurt standing in the doorway, eyes wide with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

"Blaine?" Kurt asked tentatively. "Is everything alright?"

Blaine stepped away from Carole.

"We're fine," Carole said.

Kurt quirked a brow, disbelief obvious on his face.

"We can talk about it later," Blaine said, his eyes pleading with Kurt to drop the subject.

Kurt opened his mouth to reply, and the kitchen went dark. The hum of the refrigerator ceased, and the three in the kitchen realized the power had gone out.

"Well, that's inconvenient," Carole said as she slowly stepped around the kitchen to the cupboard where the flashlights were stored. She grabbed three and clicked one on. Neither Kurt nor Blaine had budged an inch since the lights had shut off.

Carole handed a flashlight to Blaine. "Why don't you boys head up to Kurt's room for now? If the power doesn't come back on soon, the rest of us will probably head to bed as well."

Blaine clicked his flashlight on, then grabbed Kurt's hand and led the way upstairs.

* * *

><p>The boys slowly made their way to Kurt's bedroom, arms around each other's waists and their legs nearly tangling as they walked up the stairs. Blaine kicked Kurt's bedroom door shut, and they made their way to Kurt's bed. They sat side by side, in a semi-awkward silence.<p>

"...so..." Kurt said after a few moments. "I'm actually kinda tired, even though it's barely 9 o'clock..."

Blaine laughed softly. "Me, too," he replied, glancing at Kurt. "How about we just go to bed?"

Kurt remained silent.

"Hey." Blaine bumped his shoulder with Kurt's. "Look at me for a sec."

Kurt's eyes darted sideways, barely meeting Blaine's. Blaine rolled his eyes and placed a hand on Kurt's cheek, turning his head so he could gaze into Kurt's blue eyes.

"I know that the phrase 'sleeping together' has become yet another way to say 'having sex,'" Blaine said, and Kurt's cheeks started to turn pink, "but I'm not really thinking about that right now. For one, your entire _family_ is here right now and the possibility of being interrupted is incredibly high." The blush on Kurt's face deepened. "I don't know about you, but I don't want to deal with that now. I'd like to avoid it entirely, if possible. And for another..." Blaine placed his other hand on Kurt's face and leaned forward, pressing their foreheads together. "I really, _really_ just want to cuddle with you." He pressed a kiss to Kurt's nose.

"To know that if I wake up in the middle of the night, you'll be _right there_, and I can touch you, instead of wrapping myself around my body pillow and _wishing_ you were there." A gentle kiss to one cheek.

"To know that I can listen to you breathing all night long, instead of the stifling silence in my bedroom." A kiss to the other side of Kurt's face.

"To know that you're really_, _truly _here_ with me, and I'm not just dreaming of sleeping next to you." A soft kiss to Kurt's lips.

Kurt's eyes drifted shut briefly before he smiled and said, "All right. But I get to sleep on the right side this time."


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's note: I'm adjusting the rating on this, just in case, and I'm going to leave it raised. Nothing **_**too**_** graphic is written out; I'm leaving the pictures to your imaginations (more or less anyway!). Natasa, there's a little bit of angst in here, and I hope it's to your liking!**

**Disclaimer: They're still merely renting space in my head. I almost want to give them back so I'll have peace and quiet again...**

* * *

><p>Blaine woke with a start, chest heaving and skin damp with sweat. Lightning flashed as he tried to determine why he had awoken so abruptly.<p>

He heard a soft sound, almost a whimper, and then he remembered.

_I'm at Kurt's house. I'm in Kurt's bed. _He heard the whimper again. ._..Kurt's crying._

He turned to look at the boy next to him.

Kurt's forehead was creased, his eyes squinched shut as he cried out again in his sleep.

"No..._no_...this isn't happening..." Kurt's cries grew louder as he started tossing and turning in the bed. Blaine sat up, reaching for Kurt's arms. He shook the pale boy slightly.

"Kurt, wake up." Kurt flung his arms away from his body, forcing Blaine to let go and lean back to avoid a punch in the face.

Blaine reached for Kurt's arms again, shifting in the bed so he was straddling Kurt's body as he pressed his arms into the bed. He leaned forward, pressing his cheek to face to Kurt's and whispering in his ear. "Wake up, honey. You're dreaming; it's not real. I'm here; you're alright."

Kurt's eyes snapped open, his body tense but no longer struggling. Lightning flashed as Blaine released his hold on Kurt's arms, rising up on his hands and knees to take in the look on Kurt's face. His eyes were wild and focused, his cheeks flushed and a thin sheen of sweat visible on his forehead.

"Kurt?" Blaine whispered, worry creeping into his voice.

Kurt snapped forward, grasping Blaine's shoulders and pinning him to the bed. Blaine's eyes widened as Kurt leaned down, smashing his lips to Blaine's.

They'd never really kissed like this before, with an air of desperation between the two of them. Blaine tried to reach up, to press his hands to Kurt's face, but his arms were still pinned to his sides.

Kurt pressed his body to Blaine's, smashing their chests together. His hands moved to tangle in Blaine's curls, allowing him to tug Blaine's face closer to his own.

Blaine's tongue traced Kurt's lips, a gentle, barely-there touch. Kurt gasped, opening his mouth to allow Blaine entrance. Blaine's hands traced Kurt's sides, slowly gliding up to rest on Kurt's cheeks.

Kurt's hands moved to the hem of Blaine's shirt, and, suddenly, Blaine was jolted back to reality.

_No...no. Not like this..._ Blaine twisted his face away, his hands reaching for Kurt's to tug them away from his shirt. Kurt whined, pressing light kisses to Blaine's cheeks as he sought the other boy's lips.

"Kurt," Blaine gasped. "Kurt, stop."

Kurt froze above him, his body going rigid. The wildness in his eyes dimmed, being replaced first with confusion and then shining brightly with unshed tears.

Blaine sighed. _Here it comes..._

Kurt looked away, tugging on his hands in an attempt to loosen Blaine's hold. Blaine sat up, wrapping his arms around Kurt's neck to prevent him from moving away.

"I know what you're thinking," Blaine whispered.

Kurt pouted, his face still averted.

"You think I don't want you, that I don't desire you." Kurt shifted slightly, lowering his body so he was resting on Blaine's lap. Blaine leaned forward, pressing a hand to Kurt's face as he shifted his hips upward.

Kurt gasped, pleasure racing through him as he felt Blaine's hardness press against his, separated only by the thin material of their sleepwear.

Blaine leaned forward, his lips on Kurt's ear. "_You_ do that to me, Kurt." Blaine thrust upward again, his hands moving to Kurt's hips to hold him in place. "No one else fills me with such desire, so much _need._ I want to touch you, to kiss you _all the time." _He paused.

"I want to make love to you," he whispered.

* * *

><p>Kurt pounced on Blaine, slamming him back to the bed. He reached for the hem of Blaine's shirt, and, this time, Blaine allowed him to pull the shirt over his head.<p>

Kurt's hands ran over Blaine's chest, his fingers catching in the dark hair. He leaned down, pressing his lips to Blaine's in a quick, hard kiss before beginning to trail down his chest. Kurt pressed several kisses to one side of Blaine's chest, then the other, slowly making his way towards his stomach.

Blaine found himself staring at the top of Kurt's head, watching Kurt's lips as he kissed him. Between kisses, Kurt would mouth _something, _but Blaine couldn't determine _what_. He threaded his fingers through Kurt's hair, tugging gently. "What are you saying?" he whispered.

Kurt tilted his head up slightly, just meeting Blaine's eyes.

"I'm counting," he said with a small, sad smile. He reached forward, kissing a speechless Blaine on the lips, before continuing on his path to Blaine's stomach.

Blaine watched as Kurt continued kissing him, his eyes stinging as he fought back tears. Even though the wounds had long-since healed, the scarred skin was still slightly more tender than the rest of his body. He could feel each kiss with an almost unbearable intensity, pleasure shooting through his body with every press of Kurt's lips.

At last, Kurt reached the mark Blaine had shown him earlier. He paused, lightly tracing the raised skin with his fingertips before pressing his lips along its length. One...two...three times Blaine felt Kurt's lips press against the raised skin on his hip, followed by a light sweep of his tongue.

Blaine grasped Kurt's arms, dragging him up for another searing kiss before reaching for the bottom of Kurt's shirt and tugging gently. Kurt pulled away, his hands reaching to grasp Blaine's wrists.

Blaine sighed. "If I have to lie here half-naked, then so do you," he said. "We're equals, right?"

Kurt caught his lower lip between his teeth, and Blaine couldn't resist reaching up to kiss him, to bite down gently on Kurt's lip, eliciting a soft moan of pleasure from the younger boy.

Blaine reached for his shirt again, and Kurt sat up, raising his arms over his head as Blaine tugged the shirt up and off his body. Blaine leaned forward, grasping Kurt's shoulders. "Lie down on your stomach for me," he whispered.

Kurt pulled away slightly, confusion clouding his face. "...what are you going to do?" he asked.

Blaine just smiled and gave him a tug, encouraging him to lie down with his face in his pillow. Blaine crawled over Kurt, his legs on either side of his boyfriend's pale body. He leaned forward, pressing a kiss to first one shoulder blade and then the other before continuing down towards the small of Kurt's back.

When he reached the bottom of Kurt's ribcage, he moved back up, pressing his lips to Kurt's ear.

"It's my turn to count," he said, pressing a kiss to the skin below Kurt's ear before returning to his back.

Kurt shivered as Blaine continued pressing kisses to Kurt's back, counting the marks as he worked his way lower.

"...28...29...30..." He finished with a gentle swipe of his tongue to the dip at the base of Kurt's spine. Kurt clutched his pillow tighter, moaning softly. Blaine crawled forward, leaning down to press a kiss to the back of Kurt's neck before lying down on top of him and resting his chin on Kurt's shoulder.

Kurt was overwhelmed by the sensations assaulting him. Blaine's weight was warm and comforting against his back, his breath soft and soothing at his ear. Kurt arched upwards, and Blaine groaned, half in protest and half in pleasure. Kurt turned his head slightly and whispered, "Let me roll over. I want to see you."

Blaine lifted himself up, leaving just enough space for Kurt to roll onto his back without ever losing contact with some part of Blaine's body.

Kurt wrapped his arms around Blaine's neck, tugging him down for a kiss. Blaine moaned as Kurt's tongue traced his lips, and Blaine felt his arms give out, and he collapsed on top of Kurt, their bodies aligning almost perfectly. Kurt groaned at the contact and shifted his body slightly, opening his thighs so Blaine could fit between them.

Blaine moaned, pressing his hips down into Kurt's and opening his mouth so Kurt's tongue could trace the inside, memorizing each and every spot.

Kurt's hands roamed lower, skimming the waistband of Blaine's sweatpants. Blaine shifted, moving his hips away from Kurt's hands. Kurt whined in protest as Blaine's weight moved away.

"Not tonight," Blaine whispered, easing back down on top of Kurt. He pressed his hips into Kurt's, grinding slowly against him. Kurt threw his head back, biting his lip hard to keep from crying out.

Blaine leaned down. "I want to," he whispered, biting gently on Kurt's ear. "But now is not the time."

He rose up on his hands and knees, shifting to back to his side of the bed. Kurt's arms reached up, wrapping around Blaine's waist.

"No," he protested. "Stay right here." He tugged Blaine back on top of him.

"But...our shirts..." Blaine tried to move away again. "Your family will...Your _father _will ki-" His protest was cut off by Kurt's lips on his.

"We haven't done anything wrong. There's nothing to be ashamed of." Kurt chuckled lightly. "Considering _I_ initiated this, you should be pretty safe from my dad's wrath."

Blaine relaxed, laying his head on Kurt's chest and closing his eyes. He inhaled deeply before whispering, "Good night, honey."

Kurt pressed a kiss to Blaine's curls. "Good night, little one," he said, smiling as he closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Closing note: I'll be posting this to the Kurt_Blaine community in the near future. I'll let you guys know once I do! <strong>

**As always, comments, criticism and any other feedback is welcome.**


	7. Chapter 7

**And here we are at chapter 7! A huge thank you to all of you who have read it, especially Natasa for sticking with this fic so far, and Alice Rosalie for the compliments on my characterization. I hope this doesn't disappoint you! Interesting things happen when these boys sleep in the same bed. . .**

**Disclaimer: They're renting the space in my head, for now, and I'm very close to sending them away...**

* * *

><p>When Blaine woke next, the sun was just beginning to rise. He groaned, glancing briefly at Kurt's clock before closing his eyes and returning his head to Kurt's chest. <em>5:45 am is waaaay too early to be conscious. I wonder what woke me up...<em>

Kurt's body trembled slightly beneath him, and Blaine rose up on his elbows, searching Kurt's face for signs of distress. Finding none, Blaine lay down again, pressing his cheek to Kurt's and whispering, "Don't worry; I'm right here, honey." Kurt gasped, his breath beginning to come in sharp, desperate-sounding pants. Blaine shifted, trying to pull away to look at Kurt's face again. His efforts were useless, however, as Kurt's arms had wound around him, holding him in place with more strength than Blaine realized Kurt had. _If he was awake, he would have said something by now, _Blaine thought as he tried to determine what was going on. He moved slightly, settling himself more securely between Kurt's thighs, and then he realized...

Kurt arched into him, his breathing becoming more and more erratic. Blaine groaned, resisting the urge to grind his hips into Kurt's. _No, no, I can't do this; not if he isn't awake. I have to wake him up, have to stop this. _Blaine squeezed Kurt's shoulders, pressing his lips to his ear, "Wake up, Kurt. Please, _please_, wake up."

His only response was Kurt arching upwards again while squeezing his arms tightly around Blaine, forcing Blaine's body into closer contact with his own. Blaine shuddered, trying to keep his body as still as possible. _No matter what happens, he'll be absolutely _mortified_ when he wakes up. _He squeezed Kurt's shoulders harder, raising his voice a little, "Wake _**up."**_

Again, the only response from Kurt was increasingly desperate movements of his body as he arched upwards more and more quickly. Blaine gritted his teeth, struggling mightily to resist the urge to respond in kind. He felt Kurt shudder beneath him before going still, his breathing slowing gradually.

Blaine rested his head on Kurt's shoulder, closing his eyes and waiting. _I almost hope he's awake now so we can deal with the awkwardness and go back to sleep..._

* * *

><p>Kurt woke with a start, his body too-warm and coated in sweat. <em>I wasn't having a nightmare, so why am I...<em>he shifted slightly and noticed he wasn't soaked only in sweat. He groaned, closing his eyes and throwing an arm over his face. _Well, that answers that question_. Another thought was in the back of his mind, and he took a deep breath as he tried to grasp it. His eyes snapped open as he remembered. He glanced down at Blaine, whose body was pressed tight against his...too tightly for Blaine to be asleep. Kurt sighed. "Blaine?" he whispered, half-hoping he wouldn't get a response.

Blaine shifted on top of him, turning his head to gaze up at Kurt.

"You're awake," Blaine said, his voice a little deeper than usual.

Kurt felt his cheeks heat, and he looked away before responding. "Yes," he sighed. "Yes, I am."

He closed his eyes as he felt Blaine shift on the bed. A warm hand pressed against his cheek, turning his head so he was looking at Blaine once more.

"Since you're up...would you mind helping me with a...problem I seem to have?" Blaine asked.

Kurt frowned, his brow furrowing in confusion.

Blaine leaned forward, pressing his lips to Kurt's as he molded their bodies together. Kurt's eyes widened in understanding. Blaine pulled away, resting his forehead on Kurt's. His body was still tense, the muscles in his neck pulled taught and strain evident on his face. "What do you want me to do?" Kurt whispered.

Blaine closed his eyes briefly.

"Kiss me."

Kurt grasped Blaine's face, pulling him down and smashing their lips together. Blaine groaned, rolling his hips into Kurt's. Kurt arched upwards, relishing the contact and not caring about the mess in his pants. His hands moved away from Blaine's face, skimming down his sides to rest on his hips.

"Hold me," Blaine whispered roughly, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps.

Kurt raised an eyebrow, uncomprehending.

Blaine reached down, placing his hand over Kurt's and squeezing. "Tighter, _please_, Kurt…"

Kurt closed his eyes. "I don't want to hurt you," he whispered.

Blaine pressed a kiss to his forehead. "You won't." Kurt opened his mouth to protest, but Blaine silenced him with a quick, hard kiss. "I know what you're going to say. That it might not hurt now because I'm 'caught up in the moment' and that I'll regret it later." He kissed him again. "And while I probably won't feel any pain _now_, I certainly won't regret this later." He leaned back, holding Kurt's eyes with his own.

"I want to look in the mirror and see the imprints of your hands on my hips. To know that the marks were made by someone I love, who _loves_ me for who I am, and not by people who couldn't stand my existence." He pressed a kiss to Kurt's nose, leaning down and resting his forehead on Kurt's. "_Please?"_ he breathed.

Kurt groaned, arching upward to press his lips to Blaine's and grasping the other boy's hips firmly, his thumbs digging into the bones of Blaine's hips.

"I'm close," Blaine whispered, his body moving more quickly.

One of Kurt's hands moved to the back of Blaine's neck, the other remaining on his hip and squeezing harder. Blaine's tongue traced Kurt's lips, soft and gentle, a request rather than a demand for entrance.

Kurt parted his lips, groaning softly as Blaine's tongue began tracing the inside of his mouth. Kurt's hand moved from its place on Blaine's hip, reaching to palm at the bulge in Blaine's pants.

Above him, Blaine froze, and Kurt tensed in response. "I'm sorry-" he started, only to be cut off by Blaine's lips crashing against his. "_Again,"_ Blaine, whispered brokenly. "_Please, __**please**_ do that again." The hand on Blaine's neck moved to tangle in his curls, tugging his face closer to Kurt's.

"Alright, _alright," _Kurt said, laughing softly. "So impatient…" he trailed off, pressing his lips to the skin beneath Blaine's ear while his hand resumed his ministrations.

Blaine buried his face in Kurt's neck, groaning softly and arching into Kurt's palm.

Kurt's hand began moving faster, the fingers of his other hand fisting in Blaine's curls. He felt Blaine tense above him before his body began to shudder uncontrollably. Kurt continued moving his hand, stroking Blaine until he stilled above him and whispering sweetly in his ear.

* * *

><p>Blaine rested his head on Kurt's shoulder, his breathing becoming more steady and his heartbeat slowing gradually.<p>

"I know you don't want to think about this right now," Kurt said, " but there is _no way_ I'm going back to sleep unless I change."

Blaine burst out laughing, burying his face in Kurt's chest to muffle the sound.

"Me either," he said softly, peeking up at Kurt. He leaned forward, bumping noses with his boyfriend before leaving the bed.

"Do you mind if I get us some clean clothes?" he asked, gesturing towards the closet.

Kurt bit his lip, considering. He never really let anyone else touch his closet-he wasn't willing to let his organization be compromised-but he really didn't want to get up.

"Go ahead," he replied, sitting up and running a hand through his hair.

Blaine peered into the closet, slightly overwhelmed by the amount of clothing Kurt had jammed into it.

He glanced over his shoulder. "A little help?" he pleaded.

Kurt chuckled. "The hangers furthest to the right should have something for us."

Blaine stepped into the closet, stretching his arms to rifle through the clothing. He grabbed two pairs of lounge pants, tossing one in Kurt's direction before stepping out of the closet.

A muffled "_Hey_" greeted him as he turned around. Blaine smiled widely at his boyfriend before stepping into the small area with Kurt's vanity to change.

"Just leave the dirty clothes in my hamper; I'll do laundry later today."

Kurt crept up behind Blaine, wrapping his arms around the other boy's waist. "Thank goodness I do my own laundry," he chuckled. "Otherwise, this has the potential to be very, _very_ awkward."

Blaine turned in Kurt's arms, resting his head on his chest. The boys were quiet for a moment. "I almost feel like I should apologize…" Blaine said.

Kurt tugged gently on Blaine's hair, then grabbed his hand and led the way back to the bed. He lay down, holding his arms open with an expectant expression on his face. Blaine crawled into bed, pulling the covers over both of them and snuggling into Kurt's side.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Kurt whispered, stroking Blaine's hair. "Let's talk about it later, though, okay? I'm really tired…."

Blaine pressed a kiss to one of Kurt's ribs before whispering, "Good night, Kurt."

Kurt sighed, wrapping his arms more snugly around Blaine.

"Good night."


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed so far. Much love to every single one of you :D**

**You'll probably hate me when you reach the end of this chapter, but fear not-I'll post the next chapter tomorrow!**

**Disclaimer: The boys are renting space in my head. I don't own them & writing this has resulted in no monetary gain.**

* * *

><p>Carole woke slowly, greeted by the soft snores of her husband. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand.<p>

8:30 AM read the display.

Carole sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. _I think I'll go start some coffee before everyone else gets up._

She slid her feet into her slippers and grabbed her robe. She closed the bedroom door softly as she left.

As she walked to the stairs, she peered into Finn's room. Her son was sprawled across the bed, his arms and legs tangled in the sheets. The power had come back within 30 minutes of the blackout, so Finn had probably stayed up late gaming.

Carole pulled his door shut before continuing down the hallway. She paused outside Kurt's room before pressing an ear to the door. Hearing nothing, she grabbed the handle and pushed the door open.

Kurt was laying on one side of the bed with Blaine tucked up against his side. One of Kurt's hands laid across his chest, the fingers grasping Blaine's curls loosely. His other hand was pressed against Blaine's back.

Carole smiled softly as she left the room, closing the door behind her.

_Even though they aren't _doing_ anything, I'm sure Burt would have found a reason to wake them up._ She shook her head. _The man is a little too overprotective, sometimes._

* * *

><p>Kurt woke slowly, his hands automatically seeking Blaine's warmth. His fingers traced Blaine's spine gently, and Blaine murmured in his sleep, snuggling closer to Kurt. Kurt sighed happily, resting his other hand on Blaine's face and lightly brushing his cheeks. He tweaked Blaine's nose and said, "wake up!" Blaine squirmed, batting at Kurt's hand. "Lea' me 'lone," he mumbled, rolling over and facing away from Kurt.<p>

Kurt sat up, reaching over to tickle Blaine's sides. "It's time to get up, sleepyhead." Blaine wriggled, trying to escape Kurt's hands.

"Stooooooopp," he whined, smacking Kurt's hands away. "I'm awake; I'm _awake."_

Kurt leaned over, burying his face in Blaine's neck.

"Good morning," he whispered, pressing a kiss to Blaine's neck.

"Mmm…" Blaine rolled over, wrapping his arms around Kurt's neck and tugging him down for a kiss.

"Good morning," he whispered as they broke apart.

Kurt rested his head on Blaine's chest, listening to the beat of his heart and the soft sounds of the slow, deep breaths he took.

"…do I smell pancakes?" Blaine queried, sniffing the air.

Kurt inhaled deeply through his nose.

"…I think so. Carole must be awake. She and I are the only ones allowed to make breakfast."

"…You've banned your father from the kitchen?" Blaine asked, eyebrows raised.

"It was a mutual decision; don't worry. One too many mishaps…" Kurt trailed off, throwing the covers off and leaving the bed.

Blaine shivered. "Where are you going?" he pouted, wrapping his arms around himself.

Kurt glanced at Blaine "…it must be at least 75 degrees in here. How are you _cold?"_

_"_You went away," Blaine said, yanking the covers up to his chin. "You aren't here to keep me warm anymore."

Kurt rolled his eyes, reaching into his closet to grab a hoodie. He threw it in Blaine's direction. "Put that on, you big baby," he said, grabbing a shirt and yanking it over his head. He walked back over to the bed where Blaine was still huddled under the covers. He tugged on the comforter. "Come on, get up!"

Blaine clutched the sheets tighter. "No."

Kurt leaned down, kissing Blaine's forehead. "I'll just leave you here, then, and close the door behind me. I'm pretty sure my dad isn't up yet, which means he'll check in here first thing…"

Blaine threw the covers back, grabbing the hoodie and yanking it over his head. Kurt smirked. _I _knew_ that would work. _He reached out, taking Blaine's hand in his.

"Come on. Let's go eat breakfast."

The boys crossed Kurt's bedroom, making their way to the door. Kurt reached for the handle, but Blaine hesitated, his eyes downcast.

"Blaine?" Kurt queried, reaching out to touch his boyfriend's cheek.

Blaine's teeth bit into his lower lip as he shifted nervously. He took a deep breath.

"Can I...ask you something?" he asked, raising his head to gaze into Kurt's eyes.

"Of course!" Kurt replied. He reached up, placing his other hand on Blaine's face. "You can ask me anything."

Blaine glanced away.

"Do you remember what you were dreaming about last night?" he asked.

Kurt's mouth tensed. "Yes, but I would prefer not to rehash it."

Blaine raised his eyes, gazing at Kurt steadily.

"I'm not talking about the nightmare, Kurt."

Kurt's brow furrowed as he frowned, searching his mind for the memory. As the realization hit, his cheeks flushed pink.

"No," he sighed. "I don't remember that one."

Blaine cleared his throat. "Do you..." he paused, searching for a way to ask his question without causing tremendous embarrassment to them both.

"How often do you have dreams like that?" he asked, rushing the words together.

Kurt's expression went blank as he processed what Blaine had asked. He felt himself blushing again.

Kurt looked away, mumbling a reply. Blaine leaned closer, moving so Kurt's lips were pressed to his ear. "What did you say?" he asked. He wrapped his arms around Kurt's waist, tugging him close.

"Almost every night," Kurt whispered, his voice barely audible. He felt Blaine's body go rigid, and Kurt pulled back, trying to break away from Blaine's embrace. Blaine responded by tightening his hold, raising his head to press his lips to Kurt's jaw.

"Really?" he breathed. "Do you...do you ever remember them?"

Kurt nodded.

Blaine grasped Kurt's face, tugging him down for a kiss.

"Tell me about them." Blaine demanded, his voice rough.

Kurt's eyes widened.

"Please?" Blaine entreated, pressing his lips to Kurt's again.

Kurt closed his eyes, leaning his head against the door.

* * *

><p>Kurt searched his mind for the clearest memory, for the most vivid dream that he could remember (and that he was willing to share).<p>

Blaine nuzzled his neck.

"Who do you dream about?" he whispered.

Kurt sighed. "You, mostly," he replied.

Blaine pulled back, raising his eyebrows. "Mostly?" he said. "Who else do you dream about?"

Kurt blushed. "No one, actually. Just you."

"And what are we doing in your dreams?" Blaine asked, his fingers lightly tracing Kurt's cheeks.

Kurt shuddered, his eyes drifting shut again. He and Blaine had agreed to always be honest with each other, but Kurt had yet to become comfortable discussing anything related to sex.

Blaine pressed his lips to the skin below Kurt's ear, sucking gently before saying, "How about I ask you questions that only need a 'yes' or 'no' answer for now?" Kurt nodded, his face relaxing slightly.

"Are we usually in your room?" he asked, his lips still against Kurt's throat.

"Mmhmm," Kurt responded.

"On the bed?"

"Sometimes," Kurt said, sighing gently as he relaxed against the door.

Blaine tugged on Kurt's shoulders, walking back towards the bed. He sat down slowly, pulling Kurt down on top of him.

"Like this?" Blaine whispered.

Kurt's eyes opened. "No." He shifted off Blaine's lap to sit next to him, then tugged on Blaine's arm until he'd moved into Kurt's lap. "Like this." He wrapped his arms around Blaine's neck.

"And what are we doing, while we're sitting on your bed?"

Kurt lifted his head a little, gazing into Blaine's eyes. He smirked.

"How about I show you?"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: Cutting it off here just seemed like the best thing to do. I promise I don't mean to torture all of you! As I've mentioned in a previous Author's note, I have the majority of this work written out (It's currently over 50 pages in my word processor!), so you won't be left hanging for more than 24 hours. As always, please feel free to leave me feedback! Once I've managed to post the entirety of this story, I'll be sharing the other fics I've written :)<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's note: I'll take pity on you folks and post some more today...**

**Please excuse anything that comes off as unrealistic-I'm doing my best, mmkay?**

**Disclaimer: The characters of Glee are not owned by me. I'm borrowing them!**

* * *

><p>Blaine's eyes widened. <em>Does he mean what I think he me-<em> His thoughts were abruptly cut off by Kurt's lips crashing against his. Kurt's hands tightened in Blaine's hair, tugging him closer as Kurt traced his lips with his tongue. Blaine opened his mouth, granting Kurt entrance. Kurt traced the inside of Blaine's mouth slowly, carefully before leaning back.

Blaine blinked, "Is…is that how things start?" he asked, breathless.

Kurt nodded.

"And…and is that all we do?" Blaine asked, not meeting Kurt's eyes.

Kurt bit his lip, his eyes on his lap. "No," he whispered. Blaine placed a finger under Kurt's chin, tilting his face up so he could look into Kurt's nervous blue eyes.

"Show me what happens next, then," Blaine said, smiling gently.

Kurt pressed on Blaine's shoulders, urging him to stand up. Once Blaine was standing, Kurt shifted on the bed, leaning against the pillows and opening his arms. Blaine crawled up on the bed, straddling Kurt's body with his own. Kurt wrapped his arms around Blaine's neck again, tugging him down gently. "Usually, one thing just leads to another," he whispered. "There are no pauses as we change position, and we're always touching each other in some way." Kurt leaned up, pressing a kiss to the tip of Blaine's nose.

"Come down here and kiss me, Blaine," Kurt requested. Blaine smiled, molding his body into Kurt's and pressing their lips together. His hands reached up, twining in Kurt's hair, while Kurt's hands grasped Blaine's hips. After a few moments, Blaine pulled away. Kurt whined, trying to reach Blaine's lips again. Blaine tugged on his hair, keeping Kurt's head on the pillow.

"What happens next, Kurt?"

Kurt bit his lips, his cheeks flushing even darker than they were already from the exertion of the last few minutes. Blaine leaned forward, pressing his forehead to Kurt's.

"Kurt?" he whispered, eyes anxious. "Do you want to stop? I'll understand if you-" Blaine stopped speaking abruptly, his eyes widening as he registered the movement of Kurt's hands. _His hands are on my ass. My boyfriend's hands are on. my. ass._

Blaine groaned, smashing his lips to Kurt's and tightening his grasp on Kurt's hair. Kurt responded eagerly, his hands pressing harder into Blaine's ass. Blaine moaned, grinding his hips into Kurt's. Kurt arched upward, squeezing Blaine even harder in an attempt to increase the friction between the two of them.

Blaine tore his mouth away from Kurt's, leaning forward to press his lips against the hot skin of Kurt's neck. One of Kurt's hands flew to Blaine's face.

"Blaine," he said, breathless and voice strained.

Blaine pulled away, just enough to look into Kurt's eyes. "Do you want me to stop?" he asked.

Kurt shook his head. "No, just…" He closed his eyes for a moment.

"Don't what, honey?" Blaine asked.

Kurt sighed.

"Don't leave any marks where they'll easily be seen, okay?"

Blaine chuckled, burying his face in Kurt's neck. "Deal," he murmured before sucking lightly on the juncture of Kurt's neck and shoulder.

"Where do we go from here, Kurt?" Kurt's breath hitched, and Blaine paused for a moment. "In your dreams, that is."

Kurt sighed.

"This is where I wake up, actually."

Blaine rose up on his elbows, disbelief plain on his face.

"You've _got_ to be kidding."

Kurt shook his head and sighed. "Nope. I'm completely serious."

Blaine shifted back and forth, pursing his lips for a moment. A wicked gleam entered his eyes as he leaned down to whisper in Kurt's ear.

"Are you hard when you wake up, Kurt?"

Blaine felt Kurt tense beneath him, and he started to sit up, only to be stopped by Kurt's hand on the back of his head. Kurt turned his head slightly, so his lips were on Blaine's ear.

"Yes," he whispered.

"And..ah." Blaine paused, pressing a kiss to Kurt's neck. "What do you…do about that?"

Kurt was silent for a while, his breath coming in short gasps and his body still tense. He turned so his cheek was touching Blaine's again.

"Wait for it to go away so I can go back to sleep." The words were said in a rush, and Blaine found himself resisting the urge to ask Kurt to repeat himself.

"Hmmm…" Blaine murmured, the movement of his lips vibrating against Kurt's skin. "I think you should…try something different this time."

Kurt sighed.

"I don't want to have _yet another_ pair of pants to wash, Blaine."

"Who said anything about wearing pants?"

Kurt jerked upwards, and Blaine sat up abruptly.

Blaine's eyes locked with Kurt's. "Did I…" he cleared his throat. "Did I go too far?" he asked.

Kurt shook his head. "No…I was just…surprised." He paused. "So…what, exactly, did you mean?"

Blaine stood up, holding out a hand for Kurt to hold on to while he sat up.

He led Kurt to the small area with Kurt's vanity and sat on the floor. Kurt remained standing, his expression puzzled.

"Sit down with your back against mine," Blaine said.

Kurt didn't move. "…what are you planning, Blaine?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Blaine sighed, his gaze shifting to focus on the floor. "I figure we can take care of our, um, problems…together, kind of."

Kurt's eyes widened. "Together?" _What on earth could he possibly mean… _The images flitting through Kurt's head were _not_ anything he was remotely ready for, and if Blaine was suggesting…

Blaine shifted uncomfortably. "I just," he exhaled, and the gust of air shook his curls a little. "I know it sounds _weird_ that I want to…get off…" His hands twisted in his lap. "…while you're _here_ but…" he sighed. "Forget I said anything." He moved his hands to his sides, unfolding his legs as he began to stand up. A hand on his shoulder stopped him.

Kurt knelt next to Blaine. "Sit down," he whispered, kissing his cheek. "I think it's a…really nice idea, actually," he said, turning pink all the way up to the tips of his ears. Blaine relaxed, his lips turning up in a soft smile.

Kurt sat down behind him, shifting slightly in order to be comfortable.

"So," he said softly.

"So?…" Blaine replied with equal softness.

"What do we do now?"

* * *

><p><strong>Closing note: I refuse to apologize for cliffhangers. I'll post chapter 10 sometime tomorrow after I get home from work! As always, comments, reviews, criticism and so forth are most certainly welcome!<strong>


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's note: And here we are with chapter 10!**

**Again, please excuse anything that comes off as unrealistic-I call it artistic license :) Minor smuttiness in here, my friends.**

**Thank you to n0morenice and RIOTtwilight for your kind words. I hope you plan to stick around for a while, as I have several more chapters of this work to post yet and have more fics in the works!**

**Disclaimer: The characters of Glee are not owned by me. I'm borrowing them!**

* * *

><p>"Shirts off," Blaine said decisively, leaning away from Kurt to tug his over his head. Kurt didn't move, and Blaine twisted around to look at his boyfriend. "Kurt?" he queried. "If you don't want to-"<p>

"Stop." Kurt took a deep breath before tugging his own shirt over his head. "I'm fine."

Blaine shifted until he was turned sideways, his shoulder against Kurt's back. He nudged Kurt gently before holding out a hand.

"Promise?" he asked.

Kurt shifted a little so he could reach Blaine's hand. "Promise," he whispered, linking their pinkies together. Blaine moved back to his original position, holding himself still while Kurt got comfortable. Blaine placed his hands on his hips, lifting himself up slightly as he slid the sweatpants down to his knees. Behind him, he felt Kurt move away slightly and assumed he was doing the same.

Blaine heard Kurt sigh behind him. "What is it, Kurt?" he asked.

"I don't…" A pause, and Blaine felt Kurt shift uncomfortably behind him before huffing out a breath. "I hardly ever _do_ this, Blaine, and I _especially_ don't…take care of myself when other people are around."

"Do you want me to leave?" Blaine asked softly.

"No! No, of course not…it's just." He paused again.

"Just what, Kurt?" Blaine prodded gently.

"I tend to make the most…_embarrassing_ noises, and I don't want you hearing them."

Blaine placed a hand over his mouth, biting his lip to keep from laughing out loud.

"Kurt."

"What?" Kurt sounded exasperated and maybe a little wary.

"I'm pretty sure _everyone_ makes those noises. They're normal." He felt Kurt tense and continued speaking before Kurt could interrupt. "In fact," Blaine paused. "I _know_ I make them, too." He felt Kurt relax behind him, leaning his back against Blaine's once again. "Hey."

"Hmm?" Kurt responded.

"Put your left hand up, on your shoulder."

…_what on earth…_ Kurt wondered, but he raised his arm anyway.

Blaine reached his left arm across his body until his fingers had intertwined with Kurt's. "I want to…to hold onto you. If you need to let go, that's fine, but," Blaine sighed. "I just want to touch you…if that's okay?"

Kurt leaned back; his head resting on Blaine's shoulder briefly.

"Absolutely," he replied. "Anything else you need?"

Blaine thought for a moment. _Do I dare ask…_

_"_Touch yourself," he said. He felt Kurt's body jerk behind him. "And…and tell me what you think about."

There was silence for several moments, and Blaine worried he'd pushed too far. He opened his mouth to apologize.

"You." A breathy whisper, the sound barely there.

Blaine waited anxiously, his body tense.

"I think about your hands on me, touching me everywhere." A pause as Kurt caught his breath. "And your lips," Kurt groaned, and his hand tightened around Blaine's. "You're kissing me, and it just leaves me breathless. And dizzy." Kurt groaned again, his back pressing more firmly into Blaine's.

Unable to resist any longer, Blaine reached down, wrapping his hand around his cock and beginning to stroke slowly and firmly. Vaguely, he heard Kurt continuing to speak.

"You've got me backed up against a wall, and your tongue is on _that_ spot, right below my ear." Kurt's breath was coming even faster now, his words punctuated by sharp gasps."And it's driving me crazy, and I _know_ it'll leave a mark but I don't care because it just _feels-" _Kurt paused for a moment, his breath coming in sharp pants. "_It feels. __**so. good**_."The last word was spoken with a groan quickly following it as Kurt's body went rigid. For a few moments, he made no sound other than sharp, desperate gasps for air.

Blaine was close. He was so, _so, __**so**_ close, his orgasm _just _outside his reach. "Kurt…" he groaned softly.

"Yes?" Kurt sounded so content, almost sleepy; his body relaxed against Blaine's. "What do you need?"

"Kiss me."

"…Blaine, I-"

"_Please._ Somewhere, anywhere, just _please,_ I need your mouth on me." Blaine knew he sounded desperate, that he might be pushing Kurt too far, but he couldn't make himself stop.

And then Kurt's lips were on his neck, sucking lightly, starting near his collarbone and slowly moving upwards. Kurt nipped at Blaine's ear before taking into his mouth and biting gently.

Blaine came with a groan, biting his lip in an attempt to keep quiet. Kurt kept kissing him, murmuring softly against his neck while he waited for Blaine to come back to himself.

Blaine leaned back, resting limply against Kurt as he tried to catch his breath. He tilted his head up, seeking Kurt's lips. As Kurt's face entered his vision, Blaine found himself struggling not to laugh.

Kurt's eyes were closed tightly, similar to the way a child closes their eyes when told to do so. "Kurt, why are you eyes closed?" Blaine tried to keep the laughter out of his voice.

Kurt's eyes remained closed. "I…" he tilted his head down, biting his lip before finishing. "I know it sounds _weird, _but…"

"But…?" Blaine prodded gently.

"Ididn'twanttoseeyounaked." Kurt's words rushed together as his cheeks flamed scarlet. Blaine turned away, reaching down to tug his pants back up before placing a hand on Kurt's cheek.

"Kurt. Open your eyes for me."

"…Are you clothed?"

"If I said no, would you listen anyway?"

Kurt took a deep breath before slowly opening his eyes. Blaine leaned forward, kissing him gently.

"Thank you, Kurt," Blaine whispered.

"For what?" Kurt asked, looking confused.

"For being willing to do something you weren't entirely comfortable with. For trusting me. For-"

A sharp knock made them jerk away from each other.

"Boys?" Carole called. "Are you awake?"

* * *

><p><strong>Closing note: I do seem to like leaving you guys hanging, don't I? <strong>


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's note: **Chapter 11 already. My how time flies! I think within one or two chapters, this story will be wrapped up and I can move on to new things! Welcome to all my new reviewers :3 Also, I posted something new that may be expanded in the future. Please take a look at _Never Say Goodbye_ under my profile!

* * *

><p>The boys glanced at each other, horror in their eyes.<p>

Blaine was the first to move.

"We're up, Carole," he called.

He leaned close to Kurt, whispering, "You clean up in here; I'll go downstairs with Carole."

Kurt relaxed, pressing a kiss to Blaine's cheek before moving away to clean up the mess they'd made.

Blaine rose from the floor, making his way to Kurt's door. As he reached for it, he saw the handle begin to turn. He stepped back, allowing Carole to open the door just enough for him to step around it.

Blaine stepped through the doorway, forcing Carole to step back or have Blaine push her aside. Blaine pulled the door shut behind him as he said, "Kurt's hair is a mess and he refuses to leave until he looks presentable." He heard Kurt begin to laugh as the door closed, and Blaine followed Carole downstairs to see if she needed help finishing the breakfast preparations.

* * *

><p>As Blaine entered the kitchen, delicious smells assaulted his nose. Blaine stood in the doorway, inhaling deeply. <em>Pancakes, sausages, hash browns, eggs…<em>

_"_Everything smells fantastic, Carole," he said. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Carole reached into the cupboard, grabbing several large bowls and handing them to Blaine. Could you move the food from the pans and into these bowls? I don't like leaving hot pans on the table."

"Let me guess. One too many minor burns as a certain someone reaches for more food without paying enough attention?" The question was asked with barely-contained amusement.

Carole smiled fondly. "Something like that."

Blaine set the bowls on the counter, reaching for the spoon that rested in the pan of eggs and beginning to scoop them into the first bowl. Once it was full, he stepped over to the kitchen table and placed it in the middle.

"Blaine?" Carole's voice was softly questioning.

Blaine turned around. "Yes?"

"Would you mind…" Carole trailed off, pressing her lips together briefly as she searched for the words she needed. "Would you mind if I came with you to your house, after breakfast? I'd like to speak with your parents."

Blaine hesitated, struggling to keep his gaze directed at Carole instead of looking away as he wanted to. _Mother seemed really upset last night…but Father was home, and that certainly doesn't help keep her calm…Maybe having Carole over will help…_ he sighed. _It certainly can't hurt._

Blaine nodded. "Yes, I think that would be -" He stopped speaking abruptly as a pair of hands snaked around his waist, clasping gently, and Blaine felt warm lips press against his neck. Blaine leaned back into Kurt's embrace.

"I think that would be just fine," he finished, feeling his heart grow a little lighter at the prospect of facing his parents with another person by his side.

"What's for breakfast?" A sleepy voice rumbled from the doorway. Blaine tensed slightly and attempted to step away from Kurt. The arms around his waist tightened in response.

"Stop worrying so much," Kurt whispered in his ear. "Weren't you the one who said they wouldn't mind if we cuddled?" Blaine smiled, relaxing back into Kurt's embrace.

"Good morning, Finn," Carole chuckled, crossing the kitchen to hug her son. "Go on; sit down. We were just about to start eating. I just have to make sure your father is up." She turned to Kurt. "Kurt, would you and Blaine finish setting the table?"

Kurt stepped away from Blaine, turning to face Carole. "Of course!" he replied. Carole smiled gently as she walked away, leaving the boys in the kitchen.

Kurt moved to the cupboard to grab plates and cups for everyone. "Blaine, could you get the milk and juice out of the refrigerator and set them on the table?" he asked.

Blaine walked to the fridge, opening it and grabbing the two containers. He set them on the table with the rest of the food, and Kurt followed with the plates. He set one in front of each chair at the table. He saw Finn reaching to begin serving himself and smacked his hand. "Can't you at least wait for our parents to be here?" he scolded. Finn drew back, pouting slightly and clutching his hand.

Carole and Burt entered the room, then; Carole sitting next to Finn with Burt to her left. Kurt and Blaine took the seats on the other side of the table. Carole grabbed one of the dishes, offering it to Blaine, who refused politely, insisting she serve herself first. Carole didn't argue, but replied with "such a gentleman." Blaine blushed, and Kurt smiled, nudging his shoulder gently.

The conversation over breakfast was amicable, with everyone participating-even Finn. Throughout the meal, Kurt and Blaine would lean into each other. At one point, Blaine's hand moved beneath the table, resting lightly on Kurt's thigh. Kurt felt his face heat, and he glanced at his parents, hoping they hadn't noticed. Upon seeing they were occupied with their food, he relaxed and continued eating.

When Burt saw that Blaine's hand was no longer on the table, he opened his mouth to comment. Carole silenced him by popping a piece of fruit in his mouth and pecking him on the cheek. Burt froze, turning to glare at his wife. Carole whispered in his ear, glancing at Kurt and Blaine while she spoke. Burt muttered something under his breath, turning to stare hard at Blaine before finishing his breakfast.

Blaine shifted uncomfortably under Burt's stare and began to move his hand away from Kurt's thigh. Kurt reached down, placing his hand over Blaine's and squeezing gently. He darted a look at Blaine, smiling a little and hoping to convey an unspoken "don't worry about it" to him. The boys finished their food in silence.

Finn was the first to leave the table, gathering his dishes and setting them in the sink before leaving the room to take a shower. Carole and Kurt finished next, and Kurt reached across the table to take Carole's plate and cup and stack them with his. "Go relax, Carole. Blaine and I can do the dishes."

"Actually…" Carole began, darting a glance at Blaine. "I'd like to speak with Blaine, if that's alright with him." Blaine's eyes widened slightly as confusion flitted across his face. "I'm coming with you to your parents' house, remember?" Carole said.

Kurt whirled around. "What? Blaine, why didn't you tell me?" Kurt's tone was sharp, the hurt evident in his voice.

Blaine sighed and bit his lip, not meeting Kurt's eyes right away. As he opened his mouth to speak, Carole waved a hand at him so he would stay quiet.

"Kurt," she scolded, walking around the table to smack his shoulder lightly. "We'd barely even decided anything." Kurt opened his mouth, ready to interrupt, and Carole placed a finger under his jaw, pressing it closed. "And of course you can come, unless Blaine would prefer you stay here."

Kurt looked sharply at Blaine, who was staring fixedly at his linked hands in his lap. Carole smacked his shoulder again. "Quit glaring at him, Kurt. He hasn't done anything wrong." Carole rested a hand on Blaine's head, twining her fingers in his curls. "Let's go upstairs and talk for a few minutes, okay? Kurt and his father can take care of the cleanup."

Blaine rose from the chair, his eyes still downcast, and followed Carole up the stairs.

* * *

><p><strong>Coming up next:<strong> Blaine and Carole have a chat!


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's note: **Ack, we've nearly caught up to what I've had written already, which may mean a slight slowdown in updates. I'm shooting for finishing this story over the long weekend. I'm pretty sure I can pull it off, but it's going to depend on how chatty the boys decide to be...

I'm so excited to share my other stories with all of you! I can't wait.

* * *

><p>Carole led the way to Kurt's bedroom. Blaine followed, slightly surprised she hadn't chosen her own room for the conversation.<p>

Carole caught his curious look and said, "I figured you'd be more comfortable in here." She sat on Kurt's bed and patted the space next to her, indicating that Blaine should sit as well.

Blaine sat gingerly, his spine stiff and gaze focused on the floor. Suddenly, he felt one of Carole's arms wrap around his waist, and she pulled him close to her, placing her other hand on his hair and running her fingers through it.

"Will you tell me about your parents, Blaine? I'd like to know how they feel about your..." she paused, searching for the right words.

Blaine sighed. "You want to know how they feel about me being gay, right?"

Carole made a noise of assent.

"My mother," Blaine sighed heavily. "She tries to be supportive, but ever since I...came out, she's treated me differently; as if I'm an entirely new person. And my father...well, he's still convinced this is 'just a phase,' and I'll 'get over it.'"

Carole shook her head, continuing to run her fingers slowly through Blaine's hair. The two were quiet for a few moments before Carole spoke again.

"I only asked because I want to know the kinds of people I'm going to be meeting with today so I can _try_ to be prepared." Carole sighed. "I won't say I'm always going to say the right things or have all the answers, but I want you to know that I'm here, no matter what you or Kurt needs." She felt Blaine shift next to her, moving away slightly so he could turn his head and watch her expression. Carole rested a hand on his cheek, keeping the other in his hair. "And I want you boys to be honest with us if we ask questions. I already had this talk with Kurt yesterday…" Blaine's face flushed, and Carole bit back a smile. _I knew he wasn't sleeping. "_I know you boys care deeply for each other, and you want to express your feelings in actions as well as words. Just…" Carole paused to press a kiss to the side of Blaine's head. "Just be careful, okay? Kurt's my son now, and I consider you to be part of the family, too. And that isn't going to change, no matter what you boys go through."

Blaine looked away, and Carole dropped her hand to his shoulder. "I know your relationship with Kurt is going to be different than any of the relationships that I've seen Finn go through-and I'm not just referring to the fact that you and Kurt are boys and there is no 'girl' in the relationship-the two of you are far more level-headed than Finn ever will be." They both chuckled softly. "This is brand new territory for all of us, and we're going to have to work together to figure things out. You and Kurt need to be honest with each other and with me and Burt as well." Carole saw Blaine tense slightly at the mention of Burt's name. "He likes you," she reassured. " He wasn't sure for a while, but you make Kurt happy. He may come off as gruff and somewhat intimidating, but he truly only wants the best for the both of you." Carole squeezed Blaine's shoulder before standing. "Your clothes are on the dresser-I washed them last night before we headed to bed. We can leave whenever your ready."

Carole's hand was on the handle of the door, and she'd just begun to turn it when she felt arms wrap around her waist. "Thank you," Blaine whispered.

Carole turned around, wrapping her arms around Blaine and squeezing tightly. "You're welcome, sweetheart. If you ever need to talk, you let me know, and I'll listen." She pressed a kiss to his curls before pulling away and leaving the room.

Carole left the room, nearly walking into Kurt as she closed the door behind her. Kurt jumped away, a guilty look on his face.

"Hello my little eavesdropper," she greeted him.

Kurt blushed and looked away.

Carole grasped his chin gently.

"So, did you hear everything?" she asked.

Kurt bit his lip, chewing on it nervously for a moment before replying. "More or less..."

Carole sighed, leaning forward to press a kiss to his forehead. "Anything you want to talk to me about?" she asked.

Kurt shook his head.

"All right. I'll leave you boys to get ready, then. I'll be downstairs." With a light squeeze to his shoulder, Carole stepped away from Kurt and headed back to the main floor.

Kurt watched Carole as she walked down the stairs, then turned to his bedroom door. He knocked softly before turning the handle and gently pushing the door open.

Blaine was sitting on the far side of the bed, hunched over with his arms resting on his knees.

Kurt crept into the room slowly, closing the door as softly as possible.

"Don't try to be sneaky," Blaine said, his voice slightly muffled. "I know you're here, Kurt."

Kurt felt a flush creep up his neck as he moved across the room. He sat next to Blaine, not quite touching him as Kurt was unsure if Blaine would welcome the physical contact right now.

He was somewhat startled when Blaine sat up, shifting slightly to rest his head on Kurt's shoulder. Kurt smiled, reaching across his body to rest his hand in Blaine's hair.

"Blaine, do you..." Kurt paused for a moment. "Would you prefer I stay home, and not go with you to your house today?"

Blaine sighed, curling in closer to Kurt's side. "You shouldn't have to deal with my parents on top of everything else you've gone through," he replied. "Not yet, anyway."

"There is no way they can be any worse than what I've dealt with so far. Besides," Kurt nuzzled Blaine's neck. "We're in this together, and we both know this isn't going to be easy. But I want to be there for you whenever I possibly can."

Blaine turned to press a kiss to the underside of Kurt's jaw. "I'd like like you to be there," he whispered.

Kurt smiled, holding Blaine tighter. "Then I'll certainly accompany you," he replied

Blaine pulled back enough that he could look at Kurt's face. "Thank you," he whispered.

"Anything for you, honey. I'd do anything for you."

* * *

><p>The boys sat quietly for a few moments before Kurt pressed a kiss to Blaine's forehead and stood up, making his way to his closet to choose an outfit for the day. Blaine stood as well, peeling off his shirt and replacing it with the one he'd been wearing the previous day.<p>

When Blaine had finished changing, he turned around to see what Kurt had chosen to wear. His jaw dropped open in shock, and he closed it quickly.

"Kurt, you can't wear that," Blaine said.

"And why not?" Kurt asked, his tone daring Blaine to insult his outfit.

Blaine stayed silent for a moment, taking in the clothing Kurt had chosen.

A dark baseball cap sat on his head. He'd paired it with a t-shirt that read "Hummel Tire & Lube" and loose blue jeans. His feet were encased in sneakers that looked suspiciously clean-almost entirely unworn.

It wasn't that he didn't look great-Kurt could have worn a cloth sack and Blaine would have thought he looked fabulous. But the outfit Kurt had chosen…

"It's not you, Kurt. The Kurt Hummel I know and love would _never_ go out in public like that."

Kurt's lips thinned, anger shimmering in his eyes. Blaine sighed, stepping closer to his boyfriend and laying a hand on his cheek.

"You're hiding, Kurt. You're trying to hide part of who you are. And if you feel the need to do that in order to meet my family, then…then you should stay home."

Kurt huffed angrily. "I'm not _hiding_," he said snidely. "I'm trying to avoid giving your parents even more reason to be uncomfortable with me. I would think you would appreciate tha-"

Blaine touched a finger to Kurt's lips, silencing him.

"Kurt," he said, holding the other boy's gaze steadily. "I want them to see you _exactly_ as you are. Because I love you. And they're either go to accept you as you are, or they aren't. I don't want you to change yourself for my sake." He smiled. "We're in this together, remember? And I want my fabulously dressed boyfriend by my side when I see my parents today." He leaned forward, pressing his lips to the side of Kurt's mouth. "Pick something else, please? I'll wait for you downstairs."

Kurt nodded, reaching to ruffle Blaine's hair as the other boy tried to duck away. Blaine giggled, smacking Kurt's hand away and leaving the bedroom.

* * *

><p><strong>Closing note:<strong> Coming up next - the trip to the Andersons, and a potentially interesting chat with Blaine's parents!


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's note: **And here we are at Chapter 13. I'm sitting here crying for joy at the latest Klaine skit, so I really don't know what else to say. Let's meet Blaine's parents, shall we?

* * *

><p>When Kurt finally made his way back downstairs, Blaine was seated on the couch, his hands twisted together in his lap. He looked up as he heard Kurt's footsteps on the main floor. "Better?" Kurt asked, standing a little taller than usual.<p>

Blaine nodded. "Yes. Much, _much_ better." He rose from the couch, walking over to Kurt to kiss him quickly. Just as their lips were about to touch, Carole walked into the room.

"Kurt, Blaine, are you re-Oh." Carole raised a hand to her mouth to hide a smile as the boys jumped apart. "Oh no you don't," Carole said, shaking a finger at Blaine, who continued to move away from Kurt. "Don't you _dare_ leave my son standing there waiting for you to kiss him."

Kurt flushed scarlet and turned to stare at Carole, his expression absolutely mortified. Blaine bit his lip to keep from smiling too widely and moved back to Kurt, placing a hand on his shoulder. Kurt turned his face to Blaine's slowly, his eyes still on Carole. Blaine rested his other hand on Kurt's cheek, forcing him to focus on Blaine.

Blaine smirked, his eyes twinkling merrily as he leaned forward to press his lips to Kurt's briefly. He pulled away a moment later, and Kurt found himself leaning forward without even thinking about the action. He jerked himself upright, and Blaine reached up to tug on his ears, leaning forward to whisper, "Relax a little. You're blushing so hard even your _ears_ have turned red!"

Kurt rolled his eyes, tugging Blaine's hands away from his face. He turned to Carole.

"Shall we go, then?" he asked, trying to sound composed and willing the heat in his cheeks to go away.

"I'm ready if you boys are," she replied. "Kurt, are you riding with Blaine?"

Kurt glanced at Blaine. Upon seeing his hopeful expression, Kurt said, "Yes. I do believe I am."

* * *

><p>The boys were quiet as they rode to Blaine's house. Neither felt the need to fill the silence with chatter, and, surprisingly, neither wanted to listen to music, either.<p>

About an hour after they'd left Kurt's house, they pulled into Blaine's driveway. Carole parked her car next to Blaine's. Kurt unbuckled his seatbelt, looking over at Blaine with concern. Blaine's hands were tight on the steering wheel, the knuckles stark white against the tanned skin of his fingers. Kurt reached over, laying his hand on one of Blaine's. "Let's go inside," he whispered, kissing Blaine's cheek. When Blaine's grip on the steering wheel didn't lessen, Kurt wrapped his hand around Blaine's, gently tugging the fingers away. "Come on," he urged. "Carole and I will be with you the whole time. We'll get through this, just like we've survived everything else." He moved his hand to Blaine's cheek, gently turning his face to Kurt's. "They can't touch us, remember?" he said, a small smile on his lips.

Blaine smiled, then, leaning forward to kiss Kurt's forehead before turning to get out of the car. Kurt opened his door, walking around the front of the car to meet Blaine on the other side. Carole joined them, and Blaine led the way to the front door, his posture stiff and chin held high. Kurt hung back, walking next to Carole instead of Blaine. He honestly had no idea what to do. Kurt turned to Carole, hoping for some guidance.

Carole's gaze was fixed on Blaine, who was standing to the side of his front door, hands in his pockets and eyes downcast. The door opened, revealing a woman slightly shorter than Blaine. She had the same dark, curly hair as Blaine, although hers was longer and curled gently around her face.

"Welcome home, sweetie!" she said, leaning up to kiss each of his cheeks. When she pulled away, Kurt could see she was smiling brightly, but the happiness didn't reach her eyes. As she stepped away from her son, she saw Kurt and Carole standing on the sidewalk. Her smile faded slightly, her expression tightening. "Blaine, honey, why didn't you tell me you were bringing your…friend and his…" She looked at Carole expectantly.

Carole walked forward, one hand extended. "I'm Kurt's mother. Carole Hummel. I mentioned last night that I would see you this morning; I apologize for not being more clear. May we come in for a few minutes?"

Blaine's mother pursed her lips briefly before replying.

"Of course," she replied, stepping further into the house and holding the door open wider. "Please, make yourselves at home."

Kurt could hear the insincerity in the woman's voice and was suddenly struck with the intense longing to be back home, or, at the very least, to go wait in Carole's car and avoid interacting with Blaine's mother at all. The woman's words repeated themselves in his mind. "_Your…friend" Has Blaine not told them? _

Carole squeezed Kurt's shoulder gently, bringing him back to the present. "Come on, Kurt. Let's go inside."

Kurt nodded, following Carole into the house. Blaine was still standing in the entryway, but Kurt didn't meet his gaze.

"Hey."

Kurt stopped moving but kept his gaze fixed on the ground. A gentle hand rested on his cheek. "Kurt, look at me, please?"

Kurt raised his head slowly, turning so he was facing Blaine and hoping the hurt didn't show in his eyes.

Blaine sighed. "They know, Kurt," he said. "They know how much I care about you; they know you're my boyfriend but they just…"

Kurt smiled sadly. "If they ignore it, then maybe I'll go away?"

"Something like that," Blaine replied, his shoulders slumping slightly.

Kurt kissed the tip of Blaine's nose. "As long as they've been told the truth." He reached for Blaine's hand.

"Come on. We have some talking to do."

* * *

><p>The boys joined Carole and Blaine's parents in the living room. Carole was seated in the center of the couch, and Blaine took the space to her left, leaving Kurt to sit at her right. While the boys would have been more comfortable next to each other, sitting apart was more prudent, and Kurt made a mental note to thank Carole later.<p>

An uncomfortable silence reigned for a few moments. Blaine's mother broke it by saying, "Would any of you like something to drink?"

"No," Carole replied, glancing at the boys as she spoke. "We really don't plan to stay long, so that won't be necessary."

"Alright, then. Mrs. Hummel-"

"Carole," she offered.

For the first time, Mrs. Anderson's eyes softened slightly. "Carole, I'm a bit…confused. What's brought you here this morning?"

Carole clasped her hands in her lap as she considered what she was about to say. Kurt leaned into her slightly, as if sensing her nervousness.

"I wanted to know why you were so vehemently opposed to Blaine staying with us last night," she said.

Mrs. Anderson's spine stiffened as she jerked upright. She opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by her husband as he began to speak.

"Because your son is a _terrible_ influence to mine, Mrs. Hummel. Ever since Blaine met Kurt he's become more and more…different." Mr. Anderson's tone clearly indicated that he'd wanted to use another word but had refrained from doing so.

Carole felt her jaw drop open, and both Kurt and Blaine went rigid, their eyes downcast.

"A terrible…how can you _possibly…_" She blinked a few times, trying to gather her thoughts. "Have you even _met_ my son before we showed up today?" she demanded.

"No," Mr. Anderson replied. "But now that he's here, it's plain to me that everything I've assumed is entirely accurate."

"And, what, exactly, have you _assumed_, Mr. Anderson?" Carole asked, her tone icy.

"It's your son's fault that mine is still gay."

* * *

><p><strong>Closing note<strong>: Well, if that's not a great way to invite an argument, I sincerely don't know what is...


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's note: **We're looking at 2 more chapters, and then we'll be at the end for this. This chapter would have been the last, but the adults demanded I allow them to have their say. I realize that the previous chapter really, _really_ left all of you on the edges of your seats, and I appreciate all of your feedback.

And with that, I present to you Chapter 14.

* * *

><p>Carole's jaw dropped open. She could see both Kurt and Blaine opening their mouths to speak, but she held up a hand, motioning them to be quiet.<p>

"That…is an incredibly offensive statement. You cannot _make_ someone gay anymore than you can change the color of their eyes!"

"Mrs. Hummel," Blaine's father said patiently, as though speaking to a child. "Before my son met yours, he was…normal. I've been willing to overlook his bizarre obsession with show choir because universities appreciate an individual who participates in extracurricular activities. But after Blaine met your son, he started to…change." Mr. Anderson paused for a moment before continuing, fixing Kurt with a harsh glare. Kurt tilted his chin up, meeting the man's gaze defiantly. "Instead of focusing on the group as a whole when he spoke, Blaine would almost always focus on what _that boy_ had been doing. He started leaving the school grounds on weeknights…to spend time with _that boy." _The way Mr. Anderson referred to Kurt-avoiding the use of his name, emphasizing the phrase "that boy," and practically s_pitting_ the words out-was making Carole furious.

"His name is _Kurt_," she interrupted. "_That boy's-_my _son's-_name is Kurt. And he is sitting _right here_, listening to you. The least you can do is refer to him by his proper name."

"One day," Blaine's father continued, as if Carole hadn't spoken. "I overheard Blaine speaking with his mother. He sounded tremendously excited, and I thought, perhaps, he'd been given a prestigious award by the school. I'm sure you can imagine my horror as he told her he had a boyfriend-a _boy_friend."

"Actually," Carole said, her voice calm. "I can't possibly picture such a thing because there is nothing horrific about it. There is _nothing _wrong with these boys being in love with one another. It's part of who they are, and neither you nor I has _any business_ being horrified by it."

"But Kurt isn't even your _son_," Victoria Anderson burst out, unable to merely watch the conversation anymore. "How can you be so willing to defend a boy who isn't even yours?"

Carole felt Kurt withdrawing, curling in on himself slightly. On her left, Blaine's head snapped to the right, his concerned gaze focused on his boyfriend. Carole wrapped an arm around Kurt's shoulders, pulling him close and resting her head on his for a moment.

"Kurt is the reason his father and I got married," Carole began quietly. "He introduced the two of us at parent/teacher conferences last spring. Kurt and I got along fine, but my son, Finn, was rather upset initially. He felt that Burt was trying to take his father's place. Once Burt had convinced Finn this was absolutely not the case, the two of them became much closer. We had our rough patches, with Kurt feeling like his father was replacing him with Finn because they had more in common, and a few other minor disagreements, but, overall, everything seemed to be going fine." Carole paused for a moment before continuing. "About a month after Burt and I started dating, Finn and I moved into the Hummels'. Finn was…uncomfortable about sharing a room with Kurt, but he was willing to give it a try. I didn't understand why he would be uncomfortable; he'd never said anything negative about Kurt being gay, so the only conclusion I could draw was that he didn't want to share his space with someone else after having his own room for so long."

Carole took a shuddery breath, reaching up to dash the moisture from her eyes. "A few days later, I checked my voicemail as I left work. The only message I had was from Finn. Burt had come home to the boys arguing, to hearing Finn calling Kurt something _awful_ and had demanded Finn leave immediately. Finn didn't tell me everything in the message, but when I got home he told me the whole story. And he apologized tome, for potentially ruining my shot at happiness, and he promised he would do whatever he could to make things right."

Carole was crying openly now, and Blaine's parents were shifting uncomfortably next to one another, averting their gazes briefly before looking at Carole once more. Blaine placed a hand on her knee, and Carole covered it with one of her own.

"I went over to the Hummels that evening, leaving Finn at home to think about what he'd done and how he could make amends. Burt was sitting in the recliner, his head in his hands, and I didn't see Kurt anywhere on the first floor. Burt looked up when I sat on the couch next to him, and the first thing he said was, 'Go talk to Kurt, please? He's been destroying his room ever since Finn left, and I can't get him to listen to me.' I'd never seen that look in his eyes before-a desperate helplessness that I couldn't even imagine feeling for myself."

Carole squeezed Kurt's shoulders before continuing, and he responded by wrapping his arms around her. Tears had begun to fall from his eyes, as well, as he relived the scenes she was narrating.

"What I saw in Kurt's room broke my heart. He'd rearranged and redecorated for the second time since Finn and I had moved in, and the room had surely looked beautiful. But when I saw it…the only comparison I can make is what you would see in the aftermath of a violent earthquake. Anything that could be broken, was. The lamps were shattered, the chair cushions destroyed, and Kurt was curled up on his bed sobbing harder than I'd seen anyone cry in a long time. I sat on the bed next to him and placed my hand on his shoulder. He jerked away from my touch and then opened his eyes, slowly sitting up and moving further away."

Carole hugged Kurt closer to her once more. "We sat there for a few moments, with the silence only broken by Kurt's gradually slowing sobs. When he'd calmed some, I reached out to him again and said, 'I still love you, sweetheart. And even if this is the end for your father and, I will be here for you if you ever need me.'"

Carole swiped at her eyes once more, staring hard at Blaine's parents. "Kurt told me his side of the story then, and once he'd finished, the two of us went upstairs to talk to his father. And during that conversation, I realized that I'd begun seeing Kurt as my own son, and I wanted nothing more than to see him happy."

Blaine's mother's eyes were bright with unshed tears, and his father looked incredibly uncomfortable.

"While it's true that Kurt isn't my son by blood, the fact of the matter is, this boy sitting next to me _is_ my son, and nothing is going to change that. And despite all the trials life has thrown at him already, and all the hardship he has gone through, Kurt still has a tremendous capacity for love. He is kind, and gentle, and one of the sweetest boys I've ever met. He is fiercely loyal to those he cares about, and _those_ are the traits about him that matter. The fact that he's gay is no more defining than the color of his hair."

Blaine's father cleared his throat and opened his mouth as if to speak.

"I'm not quite finished, yet," Carole said.

"I can defend Kurt because I accept him _exactly_ as he is. He is unique, and he has chosen to embrace every part of himself in order to be the person he is today. He has refused to conform, to change who he is in order to gain the acceptance of his peers. And I will defend him, and his right to love whomever he chooses, until I take my last breath." Carole paused, shifting her gaze from Blaine's parents to the boy next to her. "Right now, that person is Blaine. There is not a doubt in my mind that these boys love each other, and that love is making both of them better people." Her gaze returned to Blaine's parents. Carole rose from the couch, walking over to stand above Blaine's father. "And I_ will not _sit here and listen to you insult your child and my own with your unfounded assumptions. Unless you have a reason other than your own bigotry and unwillingness to accept what is real, you have absolutely _no right_ to treat these boys as you have." Carole returned to her place between Kurt and Blaine, sighing as she sat down.

No one spoke for several moments. Mrs. Anderson was obviously fighting off tears, and Mr. Anderson was gazing at Carole with less contempt in his expression than he'd had earlier.

"I…suppose I may have been a bit…hasty in drawing my conclusions," Mr. Anderson allowed. "Kurt, may I…speak with you? In private, if you would."

Kurt jerked upright, completely surprised by the question. Blaine's jaw dropped open, and he hastily smacked it closed. All eyes turned to Kurt, who was chewing on his lip furiously.

Then, as Kurt made his decision, he raised his eyes to meet Mr. Anderson's. The cold fury Blaine saw there was something he'd only seen on rare occasion-and good things _never_ resulted from that look.

"Of course," Kurt replied, his voice frighteningly calm. He rose from the couch. "Lead the way, sir."

* * *

><p><strong>Closing note<strong>: Mr. Anderson _demanded_ that I write in his chat with Kurt, and that has resulted in this story being just a bit longer than I'd expected once Carole had finished her story. I _may_ post the final chapter today, but I will definitely post it tomorrow otherwise.

As always, comments, criticism and other feedback is most certainly welcome!


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's note: **When I posted chapter 14 today, I decided I would post the conclusion early if this reached 40 reviews. I don't like seeing authors try to entice readers to review by withholding updates, which is why I didn't mention it. This would have been posted tomorrow, otherwise.

And now, my friends, I present to you the final chapter of _You Make Me._ Thank you all for your support, and make sure you read my closing note on this chapter as well.

* * *

><p>Blaine watched, helpless, as Kurt followed his father out of the living room. <em>This is not good, not good at all; this is bad, really, really <em>REALLY _bad…_ He was shaken from his thoughts by Carole's hand on his knee. "Kurt will be _fine_," she reassured him. "You know as well as I do that he can handle himself perfectly fine in nearly any situation."

Blaine smiled, hoping to convey his appreciation for her attempt to make him feel better. _This cannot possibly end well_, he thought.

* * *

><p>Blaine's father led Kurt to another, smaller room of the house. "Have a seat, Kurt," he said, gesturing to one of the chairs. Kurt sat down carefully, and Mr. Anderson took the seat across from him. Kurt had dozens, hundreds of things he wanted to say, but he knew that allowing Mr. Anderson to take the lead would be the more prudent option.<p>

"Kurt, I owe you an apology," Mr. Anderson began. "Your mother is right. I've made many assumptions based off…what I've heard second-hand about…people like you."

"People who are _gay_, Mr. Anderson," Kurt interjected. "You need to at least _try_ to be comfortable with the word."

Blaine's father fixed him with a hard stare, but Kurt didn't look away. _Kid's brave; I'll give him that._

"As I was saying," he continued, "I've assumed many things, and it would appear I am at least partially mistaken." He sighed, and Kurt saw his face relax for just a moment. His entire expression softened briefly, and then the mask was back. _So that's where Blaine's "in-control" persona comes from, _Kurt mused. "I would appreciate it if you would be willing to…give me the chance to get to know you before making any further judgements."

Kurt remained silent for a few moments, considering what he would say. Refusing would be absolutely ridiculous, but, at the same time, he wasn't entirely sure he _wanted_ to get to know this man better.

"I think…" Kurt said slowly. "I would be willing to give that a try, _provided _you are doing this with an open mind, and will do your best to set aside any pre-conceived notions you have." He laughed softly. "There are certain aspects of my personality that are _incredibly_ stereotypical, but there is much, _much_ more to me than the boundaries of a stereotype."

Blaine's father gazed at him steadily for a moment.

"Very well, then," he replied, extending a hand. "Do we have an agreement, then, Kurt?"

Kurt grasped the older man's hand.

"Yes. I believe we do."

* * *

><p>Mr. Anderson and Kurt rejoined the rest of their families in the living room. Both of them looked significantly more relaxed, and Blaine stared hard at Kurt, willing his boyfriend to look his way. As if sensing Blaine's stare, Kurt turned to face him, a bright smile on his face. He reached across Carole to grasp Blaine's hand briefly before settling into the couch once more.<p>

"Well," Carole said. "I think Kurt and I should head for home. Sunday is cleaning day, and the other men in the house won't do anything if we're not there to guide them." She rose from the couch. "Thank you for your hospitality, Victoria and William."

Kurt stood quickly, glancing at Blaine and then at his parents. "If it's alright with everyone here, I'd like to say goodbye to Blaine alone." Victoria and William nodded, and Blaine's eyebrows shot upwards, and he darted a glance at his parents. _…They don't seem upset by this…what did Kurt _do_? _He was pulled from his thoughts by a hand on his arm as Kurt tugged him out of the room.

"Will you show me your room?" Kurt asked. "That would be the best place for our chat, I think." Blaine merely nodded and led the way upstairs.

Kurt closed the door to Blaine's room gently before turning to his boyfriend. "I'll give you the details of my chat with your father later. What you need to know right now, though, is that he _is_ willing to try, so give him a chance, okay?"

Blaine turned to face Kurt, shock in his eyes. "Kurt, what did you_ do_? Nothing I've _ever_ said has been able to convince him that I'm…" Blaine stopped.

"Normal?" Kurt finished. "Blaine, no one really _is_ normal, and it's silly to try to label yourself in such a way. Besides, Carole did most of the work for us. I'm pretty sure her speech would have convinced _anyone_ to see us differently. All I did was reinforce the points she made."

Blaine stepped forward, taking Kurt's hands in his. "I love you," he said, wonder in his voice.

Kurt smiled brightly. "I love you, too!" he replied, leaning forward to press his lips to Blaine's in a brief kiss.

"Hey, Kurt?" Blaine asked once they'd separated. He'd been pondering an idea that had struck him earlier that day and didn't want Kurt to leave before he'd asked.

"Hmm?" Kurt responded.

"Do me a favor?"

Kurt pulled back further, his eyes alight with curiosity.

"Name it!"

Blaine shifted his gaze to their intertwined hands, squeezing Kurt's gently before looking back up.

"The next time you wake up in the middle of the night…after one of _those_ dreams…" Kurt's cheeks flushed scarlet as Blaine continued speaking "…I want you to call me, okay? No matter what time it is."

Kurt's eyes grew impossibly wide. _Is he suggesting…does he really…we're going to…_

_"_Well, uhhh…" Kurt found himself unable to form a complete thought. Blaine leaned forward to whisper in his ear.

"_Please_, Kurt?"

Kurt sighed. "Sure, Blaine. The next time I find myself awake in the middle of the night after a bad dream, I'll call you."

Blaine drew back, smacking Kurt on the shoulder as he did so.

"You know that's not what I mean, Kurt," he scolded.

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine, and I'll call you if I have one of _those_ dreams, too."

Blaine's eyes lit up. "Excellent! Now, let's get you back downstairs before someone comes looking for us."

Blaine opened the door, grabbing Kurt's hand and dragging him along.

* * *

><p><strong>The road ahead of them may not be easy, but together, they would make it through.<strong>

**"**_**They can't touch us, or what we have."**_

* * *

><p><strong>Closing note: <strong>Kurt and Blaine's adventures continue in _Late Night Phone Calls_, which I will be posting in the near future. Stay tuned!

I know some of you may see Kurt's seemingly easy acceptance of Mr. Anderson's apology as the wrong path to take. In my observation throughout season 2, Kurt has become a...softer person, if you will. The young man with snarky comments and a quick tongue is by no means gone, but Kurt no longer feels this intense _need_ to wittily defend himself and shoot down all who disagree with who he is. Think back to Kurt's conversation with Dave Karofsky in the Born This Way episode. Dave has committed numerous wrongs to Kurt, and, yet, Kurt is willing to give Dave a second chance because he is sincere in his apology. What Mr. Anderson has done is no better or worse, and this is why I believe Kurt would accept the apology and the request for a second chance.


End file.
